THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

A  PLAY  IN  "TWO   ACTS 
AND  SIX  SCENES 


BY 
MICHAEL  STRANGE 


G.  P.  PUTNAM'S  SONS 

NEW  YORK  AND  LONDON 

Gbe    imtcfcerbocfter    press 

1921 


Copyright,  IQJI 

by 
G.  P.  Putnam's  Sons 

Printed  in  the  United  States  of  America 

All  acting  rights  are  reserved  by  the  author. 
Application  for  the  rights  of  performing  this 
play  should  be  made  to  Michael  Strange,  who 
may  be  addressed  in  care  of  the  publishers. 


CHARACTERS 


THE  QUEEN        .         .       Afws  Ethel  Barrymore 

THE  DUCHESS  OF 

BEAUMONT       .  Afws  Violet  Kemble  Cooper 

PRINCE  CHARLES  .            Mr.  Henry  Daniell 

PHEDRO      .         .  .      Mr.  Herbert  Grimwood 

A  Chancellor,  Courtiers,  Ladies-in- Waiting, 
Lackeys,  Maids 

THE  MOUNTEBANKS 

URSUS — A  Philosopher  .  Mr.  E.  Lyall  Swete 

DEA— A  Blind  Dancer  .    Miss  Jane  Cooper 

ANOTHER  DANCER       .  Miss  Olga  Barowski 

GWYMPLANE— A  Clown  Mr.  John  Barrymore 

Drummer  Boys,  a  Sailor 


1325405 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 


NOTE — Suggestions  for  the  play,  also  the  names  of  mountebanks 
and  villain,  are  taken  from  L'Homme  qui  Ril,  by  Victor  Hugo. 


ACT  I 


CLAIR   DE   LUNE 

ACT  I 

SCENE  i 

[An  old  park  with  avenues  of  trees  lead 
ing  away  in  all  directions.  Directly  in 
background  of  stage  there  is  a  sheet  of 
water  fringed  by  willow  and  poplar  trees. 
On  the  right  and  left  is  a  high  box  hedge 
formed  in  curves  with  the  top  clipped  in 
grotesque  shapes  mostly  of  birds.  A  statue 
is  placed  in  the  centre  of  each  hedge,  and 
beneath  the  statues  are  seats. 

When  the  curtain  rises  several  courtiers 
are  discovered  wandering  or,  sitting  about. 
There  is  much  laughing  and  whispering 
behind  fans] 

20  COURTIER 

What  an  extraordinary  evening!  How 
calm  the  water  is !  It  makes  the  swans  look 
exactly  like  topaz  clouds  reflecting  in  a  ti 
tanic  mirror. 

3 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

A  LADY 

Yes.  The  sky  is  just  as  clear  as  the  Queen's 
ear-rings  of  aquamarine.  A  storm  could 
hardly  blow  up  out  of  such  blueness,  so  the 
masque  is  bound  to  be  heavenly. 

30  COURTIER  [approaching] 

I  hate  to  interrupt  your  celestial  jargon 
with  human  speech,  but  does  anybody  know 
whether  Phedro  has  been  able  to  find  the 
Prince  and  give  him  the  Queen's  command? 

LADY  [answering  with  frigid  distinction] 

Probably  not,  but  the  Prince  can  never  be 
found  and  is  always  forgiven.  It  is  much  to 
be  loved  in  secret  by  a 

IST  COURTIER  [laying  finger  on  his  lips] 
Hush! 

20  COURTIER  [reprovingly] 

At  court  one  must  try  not  to  think  aloud 
or  one  is  perhaps  overheard  by — [makes  the 
motion  of  a  blade  across  his  throat]. 

20  LADY 

O  nonsense!  Why,  Phedro  confides  in 
everybody,  and  so  nobody  ever  believes  him. 
Yet  he  is  always  quite  right. 

4 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

2D  COURTIER 

He  puts  his  nose  into  the  dust  that  is  swept 
out  of  great  corners.  Indeed  he  looks  in  un 
thinkable  places,  and  finds  the  incredible. 

IST  COURTIER 
Do  you  know  what  he  told  me  lately? 

LADY 

I  am  ailing  with  curiosity. 

IST  COURTIER 

It  was  a  fantastic  tale  about  one  of  our  own 
lot.  Indeed  about  one  wearing  strawberry 
leaves  and  with  two  very  young  sons  growing 
up,  and  she,  apparently  imagining  the  younger 
to  be  the  living  likeness,  growing  plainer 
every  day,  of  a  former  indiscretion,  gives  di 
rections  to  her  favourite  lackey  to  get  rid  of 
this  wrong  one  and  he,  from  spleen,  gives  the 
honest  child  away.  The  lady  dies  shortly 
after;  the  father  never  suspects  anything. 
The  bastard  inherits,  so  the  entire  tragedy 
was  in  vain. 

3D  COURTIER 

Fear  is  always  absurd.  You  should  be 
quite  sure  you  are  found  out  first ;  even  then 
you  have  only  to  look  rather  sharply  at  any- 

5 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

one  you  fear  in  order  to  reduce  Him.  Indeed, 
the  best  of  defences  is  presumption  upon  the 
brotherhood  of  sin. 

A  LADY 

0  how  true ! 

PHEDRO 

1.4  person  of  shifty,  wizened  visage  en 
ters.    In  a  jocular  tone.] 

What  is  "O  how  true?"  [He  glances  about 
him.}  You  are  all  looking  very  en  rapport 
with  the  Almighty.  In  fact  as  if  He  had  been 
telling  you  secrets.  Did  they  concern  me? 
I  am  always  a  prey  to  the  desire  of  hearing 
what  is  said — just  before  and  just  after  I  am 
in  a  room. 

IST  COURTIER 

[With  much  pomposity  hiding  his  em 
barrassment.] 

We  were  commanded  to  be  in  attendance 
on  the  Queen.  Could  you  find  Prince 
Charles?  You  were  sent  to  find  him,  were 
you  not? 

PHEDRO  [nodding  to  the  right] 

1  have  achieved  my  significant  purpose. 
The  Prince  is  playing  at  croquet  with  the 

6 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

Duchess,  and  says  when  the  Queen  arrives 
to  let  him  know. 


IST  COURTIER 

He  is  very  casual.  How  very  indiscreet  of 
him! — to  show  so  plainly  his  passion  for  the 
Duchess. 

PHEDRO 

Oh  no!  Mountains  cannot  knock  one  an 
other  down.  They  can  only  be  blown  up, 
from  underneath  [smiles  enigmatically]. 

IST  COURTIER 

You  are  difficult  to  follow. 

PHEDRO 

My  lord,  I  am  speaking  in  metaphor.  It 
is  a  dodge  I  learned  from  the  poets. 

30  COURTIER 

I  repeat,  you  are  difficult  and  poetry  is 
impossible  to  follow.  However,  poetry  is  no 
longer  the  fashion. 

[Takes  a  pinch  of  snuff,  and  looks  with 
agreeable  enmity  at  20  COURTIER.] 

7 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

PHEDRO  [deprecatingly] 

I  merely  try  to  match  my  words  against 
your  silks  and  laces,  my  lord.  But — her 
Majesty  is  approaching. 

[Enter  the  QUEEN,  a  sharp-featured, 
neurotic-looking  woman.  One  of  her  Cab 
inet  is  speaking  earnestly  to  her  and  she 
is  paying  him  scant  attention.} 

MINISTER 

It  is  vitally  necessary  that  we  should  dis 
cover  upon  what  terms  they  would  capitulate. 

QUEEN 

Yes,  and  they  must  be  heavily  taxed  for 
holding  out  so  long.  Imagine  other  people 
presuming  to  be  patriotic.  It  simply  draws 
everything  out  to  such  an  absurd  length. 
Ah,  how  irritable  it  makes  me  to  think. 
Phedro,  where  is  the  Prince,  where  is  Prince 
Charles? 

[During  the  last  of  her  speech  she  with 
draws  her  arm  from  the  Minister's,  who, 
seeing  there  is  no  further  hope  of  holding 
her  attention,  withdraws  respectfully  and 
quite  unobserved.} 
8 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

PHEDRO 

Attending  impatiently  the  arrival  of  your 
Majesty  upon  the  other  side  of  the  copse. 
I  go  to  make  him  aware  of  your  presence. 

[He  bows  himself  out,  and  the  QUEEN 
looking  anxiously  in  the  direction  of  the 
vanishing  PHEDRO  espies  PRINCE 
CHARLES  and  the  DUCHESS  upon  a  lawn.} 

QUEEN  [adjusting  her  lorgnette] 

How  silly  people  look  playing  croquet. 
The  Duchess  appears  to  me  exactly  like  a 
bent  hairpin. 

2D  COURTIER 

[Looking  also  in  the  direction  of  the 
DUCHESS  and  half  admiringly.] 

Indeed,  Madame,  her  Grace  is  too  tall  to 
look  well  bending  down. 

QUEEN  [turning  upon  him] 

I  hope  you  are  not  hiding  a  mud-sling  in 
your  silk  swallow-tail.  Perhaps  you  forget  a 
courtier's  principal  duty  should  be  the  cul 
ture  of  tact,  and  tact  is  nothing  whatever 
but  helping  me  exaggerate  my  humours  until 
I  tire  of  them. 

9 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

2D  COURTIER 

Indeed,  indeed,  Madame,  your  Majesty's 
brilliance  blinds  my  eyes  with  humility. 

[Enter  PRINCE  CHARLES,  a  slender,  ex 
otic-looking  gentleman.] 

PRINCE 

Dear  Cousin,  how  delicious  you  are  look 
ing — so  royal  and  alert.  [He  bends  over  her 
hand.]  Ah!  [His  vitality  seems  suddenly  to 
leave  him  at  the  thought]  I  have  just  been 
trying  to  lessen  Josephine's  habitual  ennui 
by  making  her  my  victim  at  croquet. 

QUEEN 

[With  a  slight  lounge  into  sentimen 
tality] 

I  am  sure  she,  like  many  others,  is  easily 
your  victim — at  croquet.  But  come,  let  us 
be  alone,  let  us  dismiss  this  chain  of  faces, 
they  confine  my  thoughts.  I  would  like  to 
talk  well,  I  would  like  to  talk  fantastically, 
that  is,  I  wish  you  would  think  of  something 
original  for  tonight's  entertainment. 

[She  signals  to  the  courtiers  that  they 
may  leave] 

After  all  it  is  the  prelude  to  your  nuptials. 
10 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

Let  us  think  of  something  to  surprise  Jose 
phine. 

PRINCE 

To  surprise  Josephine !    But  nothing  could 
surprise  Josephine. 


QUEEN 

You  are  probably  mistaken.  I  believe  any 
reality  would  surprise  her.  All  her  life  she 
has  watched  life  passing  in  a  mirror.  She  has 
never  touched  a  thing — I  think  she  has  very 
curious  hands.  But  let  us 

[She  perceives  that  some  of  the  courtiers 
are  still  lingering  about.     Turns  to  them.} 

I  have  several  times  intimated  that  you  may 
disperse. 

[Courtiers  go  out  swiftly.} 

[Looking  at  Prince  wistfully.}  You  can  im 
agine  that  I  am  a  little  sad  today.  There  is 
a  mist  between  me  and  everything  else,  the 
gardens  are  dull,  the  flowers  have  lost  their 
fragrance.  A  sirocco  seems  blowing  up  from 
the  graves  of  all  young  people  who  have 
never  been  given  a  chance.  Tell  me,  do  you 
care  much  for  Josephine? 
ii 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

CHARLES  [pompously] 

My  Cousin,  my  Sovereign,  this  marriage 
has  been  arranged,  I  presume  in  lieu  of  my 
lost  brother,  the  Prince  of  Vaucluse,  and 
apparently  in  order  further  to  quilt  your 
Majesty's  exchequer. 

i 
QUEEN  [interrupting  him] 

Your  poor  brother;  your  poor  brother;  if 
it  had  been  he,  how  much  heartbreak  I  would 
have  been  spared. 

PRINCE 

Which  means,  your  Majesty? 

QUEEN 

That  I  have  been  talking  to  myself,  and 
you  have  been  listening,  which  is  ungallant, 
as  if  you  were  to  let  me  put  rouge  on  my  nose 
instead  of  on  my  cheeks  without  stopping  me. 

PRINCE 

[Rather  uneasily  returning  to  a  favourite 
subject.] 

Well,  your  Majesty,  now  I  have  accus 
tomed  myself  so  long  to  the  idea  of  my 
marriage  that  it  gives  me  pleasure  and  calm 
to  dwell  on  it,  especially  when  I  gaze  upon 

12 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

Josephine's  tapering  regality — then  I  am 
most  inclined  to  think  your  esteemed  father, 
our  former  King,  was  wise  in  recommending 
it,  and  that  Fate  was  not  too  unkind  in  dis 
posing  of  my  half-brother  in  her  own  mys 
terious  way. 

[He  smiles  rather  unpleasantly.] 

QUEEN 

[Who  has  not  attended  the  last  part  of 
his  speech.] 

Yes.  To  provide  at  one  clip  for  her — the 
child  of  his  love,  and  for  me,  the  result  of 
his  duty,  proved  him  a  parent,  a  statesman, 
and,  tonight,  I  am  a  little  inclined  to  think,  a 
blackguard.  However,  you  know  this  mar 
riage  has  none  of  my  command  in  it  and  there 
are  many  ways  out. 

[PHEDRO  invisible  to  the  QUEEN  and 

the  PRINCE  slides  into  the  shadow  of  a 

giant  oak  tree.] 

PRINCE 

You  mean  if  either  of  us 

QUEEN 

That  if  any  charge  of  unworthiness  could 
be  brought  by  either  of  you  against  the  other, 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

then  it  would  be  my  duty  even  at  the  last 
hour 

PRINCE  [suddenly] 

Well,  unfortunately,  my  various  dissipa 
tions  have  only  rendered  me  romantic  in  the 
eyes  of  your  court,  and  as  for  Josephine 

QUEEN 

Ah,  her  appearance  gives  no  clue  to  her 
mind  [with  an  attempted  lightness],  save  occa 
sionally  there  is  too  much  scent  on  her 
cambric. 

PRINCE 
Why  do  you  dislike  Josephine? 

QUEEN 

I  do  not  dislike  her,  but  she  behaves  unbe 
comingly.  She  is  very  arrogant.  Arrogance 
does  not  become  a  bastard. 

PRINCE  [in  a  teasing  vein] 

You  do  dislike  her.  You  hate  her,  even 
though  she  is  your  half-sister,  but  I  find  her 
enchanting.  I  adore  her  cold,  slender  finger 
tips  and  the  perfection  of  her  contemptuous 
profile.  She  moves  exactly  like  a  swan, 

14 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

QUEEN  [trying  to  control  her  emotion] 

At  last  you  are  giving  yourself  entirely 
away.  I  am  hearing  what  I  know.  Ugh! 
how  doubly  unpleasant ! 

PRINCE 

Why  should  I  not  give  myself  away  to  you, 
Cousin  ? 

QUEEN 

You  mean  I  am  powerless  to  harm  either 
of  you. 

PRINCE 
Why  should  you  wish  to  harm  us? 

QUEEN 

There  are  many  things  you  might  not 
understand ;  for  instance,  there  is  a  love  that 
is  half  hatred.  It  is  sprinkled  into  life  in  a 
rather  strange  manner — by  wounds.  How 
ever,  I  am  becoming  sentimental  and  I  hate 
sentimentality.  It  reminds  me  of  people  with 
colds  in  their  heads  who  have  lost  their  pocket 
handkerchiefs. 

PRINCE  [in  evident  uneasiness] 
Madame,   your  eloquence  is  remarkable, 
15 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

but  to  say  that  you  are  mysterious  is  all  that 
I  dare  to  say. 

QUEEN 

You  dare  to  say  what  you  want  to  say 
[bitterly].  You  have  courage  enough  to  satisfy 
your  curiosities  like  everybody  else,  but  I 
have  always  noticed  that  when  people  are 
not  curious  their  manners  become  extraor 
dinary.  However,  we  are  forgetting  about 
the  f£te.  Let  us  call  Phedro. 

PRINCE  [bowing] 
With  pleasure. 

[He  calls.  PHEDRO  emerges  after  a  few 
seconds  at  an  entirely  different  angle  from 
the  place  where  he  was  concealed.] 

PHEDRO 

Majesty. 

QUEEN 
[Addressing  him  in  a  peremptory  voice.] 

It  is  my  wish  that  you  should  think  of 
something  bizarre  to  be  included  in  the  fes 
tivities  of  tonight.     The  Prince  and  myself 
do  not  seem  able  to  put  our  minds  on  it. 
16 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

PHEDRO 

I  think  most  certainly,  Majesty,  there 
should  be  something  bizarre  about  these 
festivities,  but  Majesty 

[He  makes  her  a  low  bow.] 

QUEEN  [interrogatively] 

Yes? 

PHEDRO  [sliding  up  to  her] 

Could  I  beg  a  moment  alone  with  your 
Majesty?  For  it  would  be  my  humble  view 
that  both  fiances  share  the  surprise. 

QUEEN 

[Turning  to  the  PRINCE  with  a  gesture 
of  dismissal] 

Go  along,  Charles.  At  any  rate  you  have 
a  sort  of  sleight-of-hand  manner  of  looking 
at  your  watch  that  makes  me  rather  nervous. 

PRINCE 

[Taking  her  hand,  and  becoming  mis 
chievously  eloquent  with  relief] 

Then,  au  revoir,  my  Cousin.  When  this 
garish  day  is  drowned  in  the  sapphire  pool  of 
night,  and  we  are  all  like  pallid  flowers  tossed 

17 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

upon  moody  currents  of  mysterious  desire, 
perhaps — who  knows?  our  petals  may  touch 
in  that  tender  gloom  of  night  and  music. 

[Bends  tenderly,  whimsically  over  her 
hand.} 

QUEEN 

[Gazing  after  his  exit  enraptured,  once 
more  hopeful,  then  turning  to  PHEDRO.] 

Ah,  Phedro,  what  joy  there  is  in  being 
foolish ! 

PHEDRO 

Pleasure  has  two  extremes,  Madame.  One 
is  to  have  your  lover  in  your  arms,  the  other 
is  to  have  him  in  your  power. 

QUEEN  [pacing  up  and  down] 

I  must  have  one  or  the  other.  What  can 
be  done.  Think  for  me,  advise  me.  I  am 
too  unstrung  to  think  for  myself.  When  one 
wants  a  thing  very  much,  everything  blurs. 

PHEDRO 

There  are  many  voices  whispering  all  to 
gether  in  my  mind.  In  a  little  perhaps  one 
will  be  louder  than  the  rest — then  we  may 
plan. 

18 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

QUEEN 

But  the  fete.  We  are  continually  forget 
ting  about  the  fete. 

PHEDRO 

[Thinking,  with  his  finger  against  his 
lips.] 

Out  of  one  purpose  often  comes  another 
perfected. 

QUEEN 

You  are  talking  in  enigmas,  and  it  is  grow 
ing  late.  See  how  long  and  slender  the  poplar 
shadows  are  getting  on  the  grass.  When  the 
wind  and  sun  touch  them  they  look  a  little 
like  obelisks  flashed  over  with  strange  writ 
ings. 

PHEDRO 

Your  Majesty  is  adding  the  accomplish 
ment  of  a  poet  to  the  genius  of  a  sovereign. 

QUEEN  [shivering] 

No,  I  would  not  like  to  be  a  poet.  They 
are  always  dying  of  ennui  or  madness.  But, 
Phedro,  to  the  point. 

19 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

PHEDRO  [suddenly] 

Majesty,  some  mountebanks  arrived  at  the 
park  lodge  last  night.  They  crave  to  play 
before  your  Majesty. 

QUEEN  [coming  out  of  a  reverie] 
Are  they  dancers,  or  do  they  act  plays? 

PHEDRO 

Their  performance  I  understand  is  peculiar. 
One  of  them  is  blind,  the  other  is  deformed  in 
some  way.  With  them  is  a  doctor  of  philo 
sophy,  one  who  heals  the  scars  of  flesh  or  heart 
with  powders  or  words  befitting  the  case. 

QUEEN  [wanly] 
They  do  not  sound  original. 

PHEDRO 

And  yet  from  the  effect  they  stir  there 
must  be  something.  It  appears  the  clown 
causes  those  who  are  incurably  sad  to  faint 
with  laughter. 

QUEEN 

It  would  be  charming  to  laugh,  to  be  un 
able  to  help  laughing.     Have  them  sent  to 
20 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

my  porter  in  the  northern  wing  and  I  will 
interview  them  before  the  masque.  Ah,  here 
comes  the  Duchess  leaning  upon  her  Prince's 
arm.  I  must  say  she  looks  as  if  there  might 
be  something  more  amusing  to  lean  upon. 

[Enter  JOSEPHINE  and  the  PRINCE.] 

QUEEN 
Well,  Josephine. 

DUCHESS 
Well,  my  sister. 

[Sighs  and  stoops  over  a  bed  of  helio 
trope] 

QUEEN 

Why  are  you  so  melancholy,  Josephine? 
You  are  standing  in  the  portals  of  joy — I 
confess  they  do  not  appear  very  much  to 
intrigue  you. 

DUCHESS 

Possibly  I  am  melancholy  because  I  am 
not  curious. 

QUEEN  [sarcastically] 
No,  rocks  could  hardly  be  curious  about 

21 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

the  waves  or  the  wrecks  washing  against 
them.     Come,  Phedro. 

[She  goes.  PRINCE  bows  after  the 
QUEEN  and  then  comes  back  to  the 
DUCHESS.] 

PRINCE 

Beauty  like  yours  is  a  penance  for  other 
women  to  regard.  You  are  very  like  an  ex 
quisite  temple  in  which  there  is  no  god.  Yet 
I  would  not  put  a  god  in  your  temple. 

DUCHESS  [rather  bored] 
No?    What  would  you  put  there? 

PRINCE 

In  the  very  centre  of  your  temple  I  would 
place  a  faun  with  swift,  strange  limbs,  crisp, 
serpentine  hair,  and  the  smile  of  a  demon. 

DUCHESS  [turning  to  him  slowly] 

The  smile  of  a  demon  ?  I  think  that  would 
be  enchanting.  Ah,  how  tired  I  am,  I  think 
I  will  go  and  rest.  What  in  the  world  is  one 
tired  from?  What  does  one  rest  for 

[She  pauses  in  rather  a  lost  manner.] 

22 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

PRINCE 

Yes,  do  go  and  rest,  for  tomorrow  you  must 
be  radiant  as  a  new-blown  flower  in  the  first 
rays  of  the  sun. 

DUCHESS 

[Turning  to  him  with  a  faint  curiosity.] 

I  suppose  that  afterwards  my  appearance 
will  please  you,  even  if  my  spirits  are  never 
particularly  high. 

PRINCE 

I  do  not  care  about  your  spirits.  I  do  not 
care  about  your  soul.  I  love  the  pliant 
rippling  motion  of  your  pensive  youth.  I 
love  your  imperial  beauty,  for  it  throws  open 
the  last  sealed  chambers  of  my  own  fancy. 

DUCHESS 

Fancy — fancy — I  have  fancied  so  many 
things. 

[  The  sound  of  an  approaching  flute  is 
heard  together  with  the  creaking  of  a 
carriage.] 

A  strange  sound,  what  can  it  be? 

[During  the  ensuing  speeches  the  creaking 
and  the  flute  come  nearer] 

23 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

PRINCE 

Josephine,  our  life  together  will  be  ex 
quisite.  It  will  be  as  the  lives  of  the  Romans 
in  Greece — a  bacchanale  of  peculiar  formali 
ties.  We  will  bury  conscience  in  the  poppy- 
haunted  air  of  exhausting  revelry.  We 
will 

DUCHESS 

O  Charles,  you  talk  exactly  like  those  men 
who  design  my  dresses,  but  look 

[Her  eyes  are  riveted  upon  a  curious 
cavalcade  crossing  from  right  to  left  of 
stage,  first  a  very  small  house  on  wheels 
drawn  by  a  large  wolf-dog;  at  its  side, 
walking,  an  old  man,  his  head  bent  in 
deep  thought.  He  wears  the  cap  and  gown 
of  a  doctor  of  philosophy.  After  him, 
with  dark  hair  falling  almost  to  the  ground 
about  her  pallid  face,  is  walking  a  girl 
of  extraordinary  beauty.  She  is  looking 
rigidly  ahead  of  her  and  is  being  guided 
by  a  white  ribbon  suspended  from  the 
back  of  the  cart.  A  few  paces  behind  her 
comes  a  sinuous,  coffee-skinned  slave  girl 
with  that  erect  majesty  of  one  who  has 
worn  crowns  or  carried  water  pitchers 
through  generations.  Behind  the  slave 
24 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

follows  the  flute  player,  a  mountebank, 
horribly  twisted  in  some  manner  not  visible 
in  the  twilight.  The  PRINCE,  who  has 
permitted  the  carriage  to  go  by  him  in  a 
wonderment  intensified  by  the  beauty  of 
the  blind  girl,  walks  over  to  the  mounte 
bank.} 

PRINCE  [arrogantly] 

Who  are  you  all?  What  are  you  doing 
here? 

[Instead  of  answering,  the  mountebank 
hastily  puts  his  flute  into  his  pocket  and 
executes  a  handspring,  the  third  taking 
him  altogether  behind  the  scene,  while  from 
the  front  of  the  cavalcade,  comes  a  high, 
cracked  voice  in  answer  to  the  PRINCE'S 
question] 

A  VOICE 

We  are  players,  your  Highness,  mounte 
banks  commanded  for  the  pleasure  of  the. 
Queen. 

[The  DUCHESS  has  grown  very  white 
and  is  standing  with  her  hand  pressing 
her  heart.] 

DUCHESS 

What  was  that  tune  he  played  upon  his 
25 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

flute,  and  what  dreadful  thing  was  the  matter 
with  him? 

PRINCE 

I  do  not  know,  but  as  she  walked  by  her 
face  was  beautiful.  It  was  like  a  prayer 
coming  into  the  presence  of  God. 

DUCHESS  [regarding  the  PRINCE  sharply] 

Really?  What  can  be  speaking  in  you? 
Surely  not  yourself? 

[She  laughs  shrilly  and  exits.  The  flute 
continues  to  play.  The  PRINCE  absorbed, 
unheeding  her  departure,  stands  looking 
after  the  mountebanks.] 


CURTAIN 


26 


SCENE  2 

[In  the  palace  grounds  at  night.  Lan 
terns  are  suspended  everywhere  from  the 
trees.  The  front  of  the  players'  cart  is 
seen  protruding  up-stage  left.  The  philo 
sopher  is  seated  on  the  steps  of  the  car 
smoking  a  pipe.  The  blind  girl  with  strange, 
tentative  footsteps  and  feeling  hands  is  busy 
with  duties  around  the  cart.] 

DEA 

Think  of  it ;  we  are  in  the  park  of  the  Queen, 
and  these  lilies  and  roses  are  brushed  every 
day  by  the  silken  stir  of  her  ladies-in-waiting. 

URSUS 

Well,  I  do  not  feel  much  elated  at  being 
here.  An  ambition  gained  is  an  ambition 
lost,  and  I  am  too  old  to  have  many  ambi 
tions. 

DEA 

It  is  wonderful  to  be  in  the  park  of  the 
Queen — to   think  that   the  shade  of  these 
27 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

same  trees  darkens  her  jewels  at  midday,  and 
that  through  them  is  cast  over  her  a  shawl 
of  glittering  ribbons  upon  moonlight  nights. 

URSUS  [patting  her  shoulder  and  smiling] 

Joy  makes  poets  out  of  all  of  us.  [Half  to 
himself]  But  it  is  only  a  poet  who  can  sing 
in  the  clutches  of  death  and  pain. 

DEA  [very  thoughtfully] 

Yet  underneath  all  my  joy  I  am  thinking 
hard  tonight  of  the  beginning  of  things.  I 
wonder,  I  wonder  is  it  because  I  am  nearing 
the  end  of  things. 

URSUS 

Dea,  dearest,  you  are  not  ill  tonight  ?  You 
have  not  again  those  flutterings  in  your  heart  ? 

DEA 

Not  more  than  I  can  bear.  How  good 
Gwymplane  has  been  to  me!  I  wish  I  had 
been  old  enough  to  see  him  on  the  night  he 
got  lost,  and  found  me  in  the  snow  on  my 
dead  mother's  breast,  and  God  led  us  to  you. 

URSUS 

I  do  not  wish  to  think  of  that  night.    You 
were  like  a  tiny,  frozen  rose-petal,  and  he — 
28 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

he  was  so  small  himself  it  didn't  seem  possible 
he  could  have  carried  you  all  the  way  and 

God 

[URSUS  covers  his  face  with  his  hands 
and  speaks  in  a  low  voice.] 

When  you  were  both  under  the  lamp  I 
asked  him  what  he  found  to  smile  at.  I 
asked  him  roughly  to  stop  smiling. 

DEA  [happily] 

Yes,  Gwymplane  always  smiles,  doesn't  he? 
He  must  have  a  very  contented  spirit.  I 
wish  that  I  could  see  his  smile.  How  it 
provokes  other  people  to  laugh! 

[URSUS  looks  at  her  pityingly,  and  pats 
her  on  the  shoulder.] 

I  smile  and  weep  a  great  deal  lately  over 
my  love  for  Gwymplane,  and  I  am  frightened 
about  one  thing. 

URSUS 
What  is  that? 

DEA 

That  someone  is  going  to  make  him  un 
happy. 

URSUS 

Gwymplane  worships  you.    While  you  are 
29 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

singing  and  smiling  I  do  not  think  anything 
could  make  him  unhappy. 

DEA 

I  hope  not.  You  know  I  feel  that  he  has 
given  his  soul  into  my  hands  and  that  I  must 
take  care  of  it  as  I  would  a  little  child.  Yes, 
I  feel  as  if  Gwymplane  were  my  child,  and 
yet  something  more  than  my  child  that 
makes  my  heart  bound  and  my  song  tremble 
into  silence. 

[A  nightingale  sings  in  the  distance.] 

URSUS 
My  Dea! 

DEA 

Tell  me,  Ursus,  Gwymplane  is  so  wonder 
ful.  He — he  attracts  everyone  so.  Does  he 
never  notice  any  especial  person  in  the  audi 
ence?  Some  one  whom  he  attracts? 

URSUS 

No,  Dea,  and  you  need  never  worry  about 
that.  Gwymplane  will  never  love  or  be 
beloved  save  by  you. 

DEA 

Ah,  how  good  it  is  to  hear  that!    How 
30 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

beautiful  tonight  is!  I  would  like  to  sit 
forever  like  this,  very  near  to  you  and  talking 
of  Gwymplane. 

[A  sudden  voice  almost  at  their  elbow. 
Enter  PHEDRO.] 

PHEDRO 

But  everyone  is  talking  of  Gwymplane. 
[URSUS  rising  whispers  to  DBA  to  go.] 

Why  do  you  dismiss  your  beautiful  daugh 
ter?  Her  pallor,  her  most  haunting  stare, 
have  already  sown  chaos  in  the  heart  of  a 
certain  important  personage. 

URSUS 
Leave  me,  Dea. 

[DEA  silently  exits.] 
Who  are  you  who  visit  us  so  abruptly? 

PHEDRO  [whimsically] 

I  think  I  am  a  cork  upon  very  troubled 
waters. 

URSUS 

That  does  not  answer  me  enough. 
31 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

PHEDRO 

Then  I  am  a  web  binding  men  and  women 
while  they  sleep  to  unexpected  things. 

URSUS 
Ah,  you  are  a  trouble  maker? 

PHEDRO 

No — but  I  discover  what  is  unusual  in 
the  senses  of  one  person  and  in  the  circum 
stances  of  another  person — Indeed,  I  have 
had  a  splendid  training. 

URSUS 

Where? 

PHEDRO 

I  have  been — but  I  was  almost  showing 
you  the  colour  of  the  water  I  rose  from. 

URSUS 
Well,  I  have  no  curiosity. 

PHEDRO 

That  is  exactly  why  one  wishes  to  talk  to 

you.    Curiosity  in  other  people  always  makes 

me  terribly  suspicious.    I  remember  suddenly 

the  reasons  that  can  make  me  curious.    Now 

32 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

1  can  talk  to  you,  for  one  feels  you  might 
not  even  listen,  so  you  couldn't  possibly  care 
enough  to  repeat.  I  was  a  lackey  once. 

URSUS 
A  sordid  position. 

PHEDRO 

[Becomes  slightly  frenzied  during  his 
speech.] 

Yes.  A  servant  is  something  to  absorb 
the  spittle  of  their  irritability.  A  hand  to 
arrange  the  pages  of  their  private  diary  when 
they  get  stuck  together  with  filth ;  and  above 
all  a  presence  between  them  and  the  mirror 
during  those  grey  dawn  hours  when  passing 
it,  they  are  likely  to  see  themselves  as  they 
are.  Ah,  then  one  must  be  armed  with  the 
eloquence  of  Cato  to  reassure  these  sow's 
ears  that  they  are  still  silk  purses.  Otherwise 
the  devil  has  to  be  bought  off  in  the  morning 
and  with  three  times  the  effort.  One  thing 
they  never  count  on,  however. 

URSUS 
And  that? 

PHEDRO 

The  effect  on  another  human  being  of  their 
3  33 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

absurdity  and  the  passion  of  malice  they 
rouse  from  a  too  long  concealed  contempt. 

URSUS  [looking  at  him  curiously] 
Contempt  is  the  armour  of  snakes. 

PHEDRO  [his  face  undergoing  a  change] 

Is  it  truly,  my  fine  gentleman?  Well,  my 
mind  has  been  wandering  and  stumbled  on  a 
cul-de-sac  as  usual.  Ah,  the  hope  of  being 
understood — it  is  almost  extinct.  However, 
if  I  cannot  be  understood,  I  shall,  neverthe 
less,  be  felt. 

URSUS 

Well,  what  do  you  want  of  me?  I  am  a 
philosopher  and  as  such  am  not  occupied 
with  any  sort  of  facts. 

PHEDRO 

I  suppose  not.  You  philosophers  are  blind 
men  in  dark  rooms  looking  for  the  footprints 
of  shadows,  are  you  not  ? 

URSUS  [smiling 

Not  at  all.  We  philosophers  have  merely 
learned  to  practice  humour  in  the  presence 
of  what  is  commonplace.  But  what  is  it  you 
do  want  of  me? 

34 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

PHEDRO 

What    everybody    wants — to    talk   about 
Gwymplane. 

URSUS 
Well? 

PHEDRO 

Have  you  had  this  gold  mine  with  you 
long? 

URSUS 
Years  and  years. 

PHEDRO 

You  bought  him,   I  suppose,  from  some 
travelling  show? 

URSUS 

No,  he  came  to  me  of  his  own  accord,  and 
yet  by  accident. 

PHEDRO 

Was  he  riding  the  wind  ?    And  did  it  drop 
him  by  chance  upon  your  knees? 

URSUS 

He  came  by  accident.     He  remains  of  his 
own  accord. 

PHEDRO 
Curious. 

35 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

URSUS 
What  is  curious  ? 

PHEDRO 
The  irrelevancy  of  my  mind. 

URSUS 
Of  what  were  you  thinking? 

PHEDRO 

Tell  me,  did  you — did  you — ever  hear  of 
the  Comprachicos? 

URSUS 

Yes — why  ? 

PHEDRO 
Inhuman  people  they  must  have  been. 

URSUS 

Not  more  so  than  those  who  gave  them 
their  practice. 

PHEDRO 

They  have  provided  most  of  the  circuses 
that  roam  around  the  world  with  freaks. 

URSUS 

They  had  a  great  knowledge  of  surgery. 
36 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

PHEDRO 

Yes.  They  had  an  amusing  way  of  putting 
young  children  into  a  press — young  children 
whose  existence  it  would  have  been  very 
uncomfortable  to  admit  in  certain  glittering 
circles.  This  press  was  shaped  like  a  bottle 
so  that  the  growth  became  abnormal,  and 
when  the  press  was  lifted  the  human  form 
had  already  attained  the  shape  of  a  bottle. 
They  could  also  print  everlastingly  rather 
strange  expressions  upon  the  human  counte 
nance. 

URSUS  [starts] 
Yes,  yes,  I  have  heard  of  that. 

PHEDRO 

However,  even  such  people  were  afraid  to 
die. 

URSUS 

During  the  death  of  the  worst  person  his 
soul  shines  through  for  a  moment. 

PHEDRO  [rather  uncomfortable] 

Well,  well,  to  go  back.  A  strange  story 
came  under  my  authority  written  by  one  of 
these  Comprachicos. 

37 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

URSUS 
Really,  how  was  that? 

PHEDRO 
You  know  I  am  an  official. 

URSUS 
Of  what  sort? 

PHEDRO 

I  am  the  examining  magistrate  of  all  the 
jetsam  from  the  sea  that  is  washed  from  any 
where  whatever  upon  our  shores. 

URSUS 

% 

That  is  an  original  position! 

PHEDRO 

It  was  created  for  me  by  the  Queen  to 
whom  I  have  rendered  much  service.  But 
I  was  saying  that  a  most  extraordinary  story 
happened  along  in  a  medicine  bottle  that  had 
floated  for  years  upon  the  sea. 

URSUS 
Ump! 

38 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

PHEDRO 

Ah — it  was  a  long  confession,  and  it  had 
floated  for  about  fifteen  years  in  the  sea. 

[He  is  watching  URSUS  narrowly.] 
URSUS  [starting  visibly] 

PHEDRO 

What  were  you  about  to  say? 

URSUS 

When  one  has  talked  to  one's  self  for  a 
great  many  years  it  is  hard  to  hold  one's 
tongue  in  public. 

[Enter  the  PRINCE  —  debonair  and 
haughty.  PRINCE  ignores  PHILOSOPHER 
and  pulls  PHEDRO  aside.] 

PRINCE 
Well!  What  have  you  arranged? 

PHEDRO 

My  lord — the  desires  of  youth  are  swifter 
than  my  wits.  Yet  I  have  tried. 

PRINCE 

Nonsense.  .  .  .  No  rhetoric.  .  .  . 
What  is  accomplished? 

39 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

PHEDRO 

It  will  be  easily  managed.  I  have  your 
keys. 

PRINCE 
Is  she  willing? 

PHEDRO 

Innocence  is  always  obliging  at  such  a 
moment. 

PRINCE 

Neither  the  Queen  nor  the  Duchess  must 
have  an  inkling  of  this. 

PHEDRO 
No,  my  lord. 

PRINCE 

Tonight  and  tomorrow  night.  .  .  .  What 
contrasts!  Two  crimes!  A  secret  and  a 
public  one! 

PHEDRO 
My  lord  is  sardonic. 

[URSUS  after  looking  at  them  for  a  few 
moments  has  wandered  off  to  the  cart,  and 
is  seen  making  preparations  for  the  evening's 
performance.  There  is  the  sound  of  DEA'S 
singing.] 

40 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

PRINCE 

Ah,  how  exquisite !  I  think  I  shall  go  and 
speak  with  her! 

PHEDRO  [detaining  him] 
Better  not,  my  lord,  much  better  not. 

PRINCE  [shaking  him  off] 

All  right,  all  right.  Only  don't  insist, 
don't  irritate  me  or  I  shall  spite  myself.  .  .  . 
I  cannot  bear  to  take  any  one's  advice. 

PHEDRO 

Nor  do  you,  my  lord.  I  merely  reminded 
you  of  the  presence  of  your  own  common 
sense. 

PRINCE 

[A  pettish  grimace  flashing  across  his 
countenance] 

I  hope  this  performance  may  make  the 
Duchess  forget  herself  for  a  few  moments. 
She  has  seemed  more  than  ordinarily  bored 
today. 

PHEDRO  [murmuring] 

To  be  so  matchless  as  her  Grace  is  as  bad 
as  being  blind.  It  gives  one  nowhere  to  look. 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

PRINCE 

She  is  perfection  outside;  inside — I  do  not 
know.  Where  is  that  distorted  fellow  that 
bounded  away  from  me  in  the  darkness  just 
before  dinner  ? 

PHEDRO 

Oh — Gwymplane — he  is  probably  off  some 
where  charming  the  birds  awake  with  his 
flute. 

PRINCE  [in  reverie] 

Yes,  Josephine  is  magnificent.  Yet  I 
think  there  is  a  strange  grimace  upon  the 
face  of  her  soul.  I  am  longing  to  find  out 
what  is  at  the  bottom  of  her  smile.  Ah,  I 
shall  be  the  first  to  bathe  in  her  delights.  It 
is  a  most  invigorating  thought. 

[He  plucks  a  flower  and  places  it  in  his 
buttonhole.] 

PHEDRO 
My  lord  finds  it  enchanting  to  be  the  first  ? 

PRINCE 

It  is  the  only  enchantment.     If  you  were 
a  real  man,  you  would  know  that,  Phedro, 
42 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

but  if  you  were  really  a  man  I  could  not 
confide  in  you. 

PHEDRO  [winces  then  recovers  himselj] 
My  lord  was  saying 

PRINCE  [in  a  mood  of  reverie] 

That   passion   yearns   for   surprises — and 
love  hankers  after  peace. 

PHEDRO 
And  in  your  marriage,  my  lord? 

PRINCE 

I  yearn  for  surprises.    Of  course  the  right 
sort  of  surprises. 

PHEDRO 
You  will  get  them,  my  lord. 

PRINCE 

[Who  is  not  attending  him  but  listening 
to  Dea's  song.} 
What? 

PHEDRO 

My  sixth  sense  whispers  to  me,  my  lord, 
that  you  are  on  the  eve  of  many  surprises. 

[The  noise  of  the  wand  of  the  COURT 
43 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

STEWARD  is  heard  pounding  through  the 
park.] 

AN  APPROACHING  VOICE 

The  Queen's  court  is  arriving.  The  Queen's 
court  precedes  the  Queen.  See  that  the  per 
formance  is  ready.  See  that  the  performance 
is  ready. 

[The  voice  dies  away.  There  is  the 
sound  of  much  commotion  in  the  vicinity 
of  the  cart.  The  voice  of  DEA  ceases  and 
someone  calls:  GWYMPLANE!  GWYM- 
PLANE  answering  distantly:  Yes.  URSUS  : 
Hurry.  GWYMPLANE:  I  come.  The 
PRINCE  and  PHEDRO  steal  quickly  away.] 


CURTAIN 


44 


SCENE  3 

[Courtiers  entering.    A  lady  looking  through 
her  lorgnette.] 

A  LADY 
I  hope  this  is  not  going  to  be  too  boring. 

3D  COURTIER 

Ah,  that,  Madame,  is  the  pleasure-seeker's 
prayer.  Save  me  this  night  from  being  bored 
to  death. 

20  COURTIER  [a  great  dandy] 

I  hope  they  have  enchanting  costumes,  and 
that  they  are  well  perfumed. 

[He  smells  a  scrap  of  lace.] 

LADY 
I  hear  he  is  remarkable. 


20  COURTIER 

Who? 

45 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

LADY 

The  mountebank,  I  forget  his  name.  He 
has  a  Latin  name  besides,  which  I  forget 
also,  but  they  say  that  when  he  appears. 

COURT  USHER  [announces] 
The  Queen. 

[The  Queen  arrives  surrounded  by  a 
brilliant  court.  JOSEPHINE  attends  her, 
dressed  entirely  in  silver  and  wearing  im 
mense  emeralds.  Her  hair  is  very  for 
mally  powdered,  and  she  wears  a  cherry- 
coloured  cloak.  A  coloured  slave  in  black 
moire  carries  her  train.] 

QUEEN 

I  am  not  in  a  mood  for  laughing  tonight. 
[She  glances  at  Josephine.]  At  any  rate  it  is 
always  singularly  depressing  to  go  anywhere 
in  order  to  laugh.  And  if  this  clown  causes 
me  even  to  smile  he  shall  have  some  rare  re 
ward. 

[Seats  herself  upon  a  raised  dais.    Cour 
tiers  group  themselves  around  her.     Most 
of  the  ladies  have  seats.     Many  of  the 
gentlemen  sit  at  their  feet.] 
46 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

JOSEPHINE 

[Listlessly  fluttering  her  fan;  she  is  on 
the  left  of  the  QUEEN  and  near  the  audi 
ence] 

How  tedious !    For  what  are  they  delaying  ? 

PRINCE  [standing  over  her] 
We  are  scarcely  seated. 

JOSEPHINE 

Waiting  is  so  tedious.    It  puts  me  in  a  bad 
humour,  and  I  lose  my  enthusiasm. 

PRINCE 
Before  you  have  quite  found  it,  eh? 

[A  gong  sounds.  Two  stalwart  men 
move  the  cart  to  left  centre  of  stage;  with  a 
click  the  sides  of  the  carriage  are  flung 
open  and  a  stage  about  twelve  feet  wide  and 
four  feet  above  the  ground  appears.  In  the 
back  is  a  green  curtain,  ornamented  with 
constellations.  Suddenly  a  grotesque  figure 
completely  hooded  and  masked,  attended 
by  two  small  drummer  boys,  makes  its 
appearance.  The  figure  squats  upon  the 
floor  in  direct  centre  of  stage.  The  drum 
mers  seat  themselves  beside  it  and  all 

47 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

three  begin  to  play;  the  attendants  upon 
their  drums,  the  centre  figure  upon  a  flute. 
No  human  part  of  him  can  be  seen,  save 
his  hands  -which  are  remarkably  beautiful, 
sensitive  and  pallid.  He  moves  them  with 
extraordinary  grace.  He  plays  upon  his 
flute  an  air  from  India.  Suddenly  upon 
the  stage  above  him  appears  a  Hindu  girl. 
She  executes  a  sinuous  pantomimic  dance 
of  youth  and  desire.  The  figure  playing 
upon  the  flute  gradually  turns  his  back 
to  the  audience  and  facing  the  dancer  con 
tinues  to  play.  Finally  the  dancer,  notic 
ing  her  admirer,  commences  to  dance  for 
him  alone.  The  music  becomes  more 
breathless;  the  hooded  figure  plays  a 
screaming  tone  upon  his  flute.  Immedi 
ately  a  third  slave,  attired  as  a  drummer, 
rushes  out  and  catches  his  flute  from  the 
green  masque,  who  jumps  upon  the  stage, 
and  seizing  the  dancer,  savagely — grace 
fully,  about  her  slim  waist,  dances  with 
her,  at  once  tenderly  and  primitively.] 

QUEEN 

What  agility  and  strength  the  man  has  got. 
He  has  made  me  catch  my  breath  already, 
which  is  far  better  than  to  laugh. 
48 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

JOSEPHINE 
He  dances  like  a  demon  over  burning  altars. 

PRINCE 
What  was  that,  Josephine? 

JOSEPHINE 
Don't  distract  my  attention. 

PRINCE  [laughing] 

Attention?  Attention?  Why,  Josephine, 
I  never  knew  that  gift  was  among  your 
talents ! 

JOSEPHINE 

ShISh! 

[During  the  dance,  the  Hindu  girl  be 
comes  more  and  more  enamoured  of  her 
partner,  who  eludes  and  attacks  her  in  a 
perfect  frenzy  of  grace  and  passion.  Fi 
nally  she  tries  to  unmask  him  or  to  pull 
off  his  cloak,  without  success.  A  chime  is 
heard.  The  drummers  play  a  strange, 
sinister  march.  An  old  man  enters — the 
slave  owner.  He  sees  his  slave  in  the  arms 
of  one  whom  she  obviously  loves,  and 
rushes  at  the  masked  figure  with  his  sword. 
At  this  the  green  mask  flings  the  girl  away 
4  49 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

from  him,  tears  off  his  mask,  throws  open 
his  coat  and  stands  revealed  before  the 
slave  owner,  but  with  his  back  to  the  au 
dience.  The  man  is  about  to  let  fall  his 
sword  when  he  looks  upon  what  he  is 
about  to  kill.  Gradually  his  jaw  drops 
with  amazement  and  he  lets  out  a  terrible 
yell  of  laughter.  The  slave  girl  who  has 
stood  watching  him,  now  creeps  round  to 
see  what  is  causing  him  so  much  mirth, 
and  gazing  up  suddenly  into  the  face  of 
her  partner  utters  a  shriek  of  horror  and 
runs  from  the  stage.  The  slave  owner 
follows  her,  his  sides  shaking  with  laughter. 
The  figure  stands  rigidly  transfixed,  his 
back  still  to  the  audience.] 

JOSEPHINE  [leaning  forward  eagerly] 

What  can  he  be  like !    I  wish  he  would  turn 
round. 

PRINCE 

You  seem  interested,  Josephine.    Do  these 
wretched  mummers  really  .    .    . 

[But  JOSEPHINE  is  leaning  forward 
intently  for  the  music  has  begun  again. 
This  time  the  figure  is  doing  a  strange 
dance  of  loneliness  and  search  for  his 
departed  partner,  his  mask  lies  upon  the 

50 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

ground,  but  he  shields  himself  with  his 
cloak.  Occasionally  in  the  wildness  of  his 
dance  it  slips  a  little,  permitting  glimpses 
of  parts  of  his  face.] 

QUEEN  [suddenly  in  a  tone  of  fright] 
What  is  it  the  man  has  upon  his  face?    Is 
it  a  great  scar? 

JOSEPHINE 

No !    No !    It  is  his  mouth  that  is  like  that. 
[Her  excitement  is  obviously  gathering 
to  an  almost  unbearable  point  as  the  dance 
proceeds.    In  a  low  voice:] 

Oh,  he  is  deformed,  he  is  terribly  deformed, 
his  shoulders  are  not  abreast  of  one  another. 
Or  is  it  some  devil's  head  squatting  upon  his 
body  of  an  angel. 

A  VOICE 

No,  it  is  his  legs ;  they  are  bent  in  opposite 
directions. 

A  VOICE 

No  wonder  the  lady  will  not  come  back 
to  him! 

[GWYMPLANE'S  dance  seems  to  be  reach 
ing  a  climax;  he  has  nosed  about  the  floor 
like  a  dog;  he  has  tried  to  leap  over  the 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

roof  in  order  to  discover  his  lost  sweetheart, 
and  now  he  turns  facing  the  audience,  his 
arms  outstretched  in  pitiful  dejection. 
There  is  an  instant's  deep  silence,  and 
then  a  great  laugh  rings  out  from  the  audi 
ence.  The  QUEEN  herself  rocks  to  and  fro, 
backward  and  forward  behind  her  fan. 
JOSEPHINE  starts  forward,  in  her  face  a 
mixture  of  amusement,  giving  gradually 
way  to  some  sinister  thought  which  makes 
her  gaze  fixedly  at  the  mountebank  with 
parted  lips.  Her  unswerving  glance  at 
length  draws  his  eyes  towards  her  and  for 
one  single  instant  their  glances  seem  to 
pass  through  one  another — the  exquisite 
duchess,  the  grotesque  clown.  No  one  has 
seen  the  look,  save  PHEDRO,  who  wipes 
his  lips  with  an  expression  of  intense 
amusement.  Suddenly  from  behind  GWYM- 
PLANE  steps  DEA,  and  he  returns  with 
an  almost  imperceptible  start  to  his  act. 
Seeing  this  lovely  apparition,  he  throws 
himself  at  her  feet,  and  she,  apparently 
perceiving  him,  does  not  repel  him  but 
Puts  her  slim  hands  in  his  wild  hair,  and 
they  go  through  some  tender  motions  to  an 
exquisite  melody  upon  the  flute.  Gradu 
ally  with  gestures  of  pity  and  love  she 
invites  him  to  go  with  her,  and  he  hardly 

52 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

believing  is  about  to  be  led  away,  when 
suddenly  the  oriental  melody  begins  again. 
The  dancer  appears.  She  glances  at 
GWYMPLANE  with  the  hypnotized  fascina 
tion  of  utter  horror.  DEA  attempts  draw 
ing  GWYMPLANE  away,  but  he  resists, 
becoming  again  a  victim  to  the  old  charm. 
The  slave  girl,  with  a  wild  gesture,  offers 
herself  to  him.  Simultaneously,  DEA  mo 
tions  him  with  prayer  to  go  with  her.  He 
makes  some  pitiful  indecisive  motions  be 
tween  them.  DEA  wrings  her  hands;  the 
slave  girl  smiles;  when,  with  a  sudden 
gesture  of  despair,  GWYMPLANE  takes  out 
his  knife  and  makes  a  motion  of  cutting 
out  his  heart,  then  sinks  upon  the  ground, 
and  suddenly  holds  up  his  heart  dripping 
with  blood  in  his  two  pale  hands.  The 
slave  girl  tries  to  snatch  it,  but  he  gives  it 
to  DEA,  who  presses  it  against  her  own. 
GWYMPLANE  breathes  his  last,  and  the  slave, 
falling  at  the  feet  of  DEA,  licks  the  blood 
from  the  heart  of  her  dancer  off  the  floor. 
Miniature  curtain  descends  to  some 
strange  music  recalling  the  chimes  of  & 
clock.} 

QUEEN 

What    an    extraordinary   pantomime!     I 
53 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

think  these  mummers  act  too  well.  They 
will  leave  a  memory,  and  I  have  far  too  many 
memories  already. 


JOSEPHINE 

[Trying  to  conceal  the  impression  the 
play  has  made  on  her.] 

I  shall  never  have  any  memories.  When 
the  door  closes  I  shall  forget. 

PRINCE 

Perhaps  you  are  not  so  agile  as  you  think. 
Something  of  you  may  catch  in  the  door 
when  it  slams,  and  go  on  aching  forever. 

QUEEN  [tolerantly] 

Inexperience  can  always  afford  to  be  a  little 
ridiculous,  can  it  not?  [rises]  Well,  it  has 
all  been  very  entertaining.  I  have  really 
immensely  enjoyed  myself. 

[Turning  to  her  courtiers  and  taking  a 
brooch  from  her  lace.] 

I  think  we  should  give  the  clown  some  token 
of  tonight's  amusement,  [to  a  servant]  Go 
and  tell  Messire  Gwymplane  to  attend  us. 

54 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

PRINCE 

The  performance  of  this  mountebank  has 
agitated  me.  [passing  his  hand  over  his  brow.] 
I  want  to  forget  something  in  motion,  in 
motion. 

JOSEPHINE 

[Looking  at  him  and  at  the  QUEEN,  and 
twinkling  with  a  sort  of  spiteful  mischief.] 

It  will  be  delicious  to  dance  tonight.  The 
starving  should  dance,  the  replete  should 
dream !  Come !  [takes  his  arm] 

PRINCE 

What  an  exquisite  thing  for  you  to  say  to 
me — just  at  this  moment. 

[QUEEN  glances  at  them  with  an  expres 
sion  of  pain  and  hatred.  An  attendant 
approaches  the  QUEEN,  who  breaks  sharply 
out  of  her  reverie.] 

QUEEN 
You  have  not  brought  the  clown? 

ATTENDANT 

The  owner  of  the  van  begs  indulgence  of 
your  Majesty.  The  clown  has  wandered  off 

55 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

somewhere,  as  is  his  habit,  and  cannot  be 
found. 

QUEEN 

How  annoying!  Well,  the  amusement  I 
should  have  had  in  giving  him  this  is  really 
the  only  reason  for  such  a  gift. 

[Replaces  her  brooch  and  turns  to  an 
attendant.] 

Tell  these  mountebanks  to  leave  the  palace 
grounds  before  dawn. 

ATTENDANT 
Yes,  your  Majesty,    [bows  himself  out] 

JOSEPHINE 

I  am  glad  he  did  not  appear.  He  would 
have  been  horrible  to  look  at  closely. 

PRINCE 

You  are  cold.  Let  me  arrange  your  cloak 
more  closely  about  your  shoulders. 

QUEEN 

Wrap  my  dear  sister  by  all  means,  Charles, 
but  if  you  can — from  the  inside  out. 

[Continues    her    conversation    with    a 
courtier.] 

56 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

JOSEPHINE  [in  a  low  voice] 

How  she  dislikes  me !  But  dislike  is  amus 
ing  when  the  hours  are  just  ending  that  make 
one  the  slave  of  its  temper. 

PRINCE  [bending  over  her] 

Tomorrow,  Josephine.  .  .  .  Tomorrow 
you  will  be  safe  forever  from  her  rudeness. 
She  will  need  us;  our  united  fortunes  will  be 
the  bank  for  her  gambling. 

JOSEPHINE 
Ah !    tomorrow — tomorrow ! 

QUEEN 

Josephine,  take  your  prince  and  await  me 
in  the  ballroom. 

JOSEPHINE  [glancing  toward  the  cart] 

It  is  very  pleasant  here,  your  Majesty. 
The  air  is  cool  so  far  away  from  candlelight, 
and  I  have  an  inclination  to  headache. 

QUEEN 

Why,  a  moment  ago  you  said,  "Let  us 
dance,"  to  which  you  added  as  your  own  a 
quotation  from  something  you  had  read. 

57 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

JOSEPHINE 

[Who  has  been  edging  nearer  the  cart 
and  looking  with  curiosity  about  her.] 

Idle  people  are  moody,  your  Majesty,  but 
if  ... 

QUEEN  [sharply] 

It  is  my  pleasure  that  you  should  await  me 
in  the  ballroom. 

JOSEPHINE 
Your  Majesty.   .    .    . 

[Bowing  low  and  taking  the  arm  of  the 
PRINCE,  looks  up  archly  into  his  eyes] 

We  will  ask  the  musicians  to  play  one  of 
those  new  waltzes,  that  make  me  close  my 
eyes  quite  up  with  delight. 

[PRINCE  gazing  enraptured,  leads  her 
out.] 

QUEEN 

[Furiously,  turning  to  PHEDRO  who  has 
flitted  in  and  out  since  the  cessation  of  the 
performance,  in  a  low  voice] 

I  would  speak  to  you.  [to  courtiers]  You 
are  at  liberty  to  precede  me  to  the  ballroom. 

[Courtiers  go  out] 
58 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

QUEEN  [leaning  against  a  balcony} 
Ah,  Phedro! 

PHEDRO  [answering  her  tone} 
My  Majesty,  my  sovereign  star. 

QUEEN 

It  is  growing  late  and  still  nothing  has 
been  done.  I  cannot  see  that  there  is  any 
thing  to  do.  Oh  what  discomfort! 

PHEDRO 

Your  Majesty's  eyes  are  too  full  of  pain  to 
see  clearly  perhaps. 

QUEEN 

I  am  obsessed  by  a  dream,  and  in  this 
dream  my  whole  life  lies  snared  and  gasping. 

[DEA  appears  in  the  background  of  the 
cart,  arranging  things  for  the  night. 
PHEDRO  glances  at  her  quickly  and  then 
back  at  the  QUEEN.] 

PHEDRO 

There  is  a  loose  stone  in  every  wall  if  one 
scratches  long  enough,  yet  in  taking  one's 
desire  there  may  be  surprises,  unpleasant 
surprises. 

59 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

QUEEN 

But  if  ever  one  clutches  the  echo  of  one's 
own  heart,  what  difference  if  a  pox  of  mad 
ness  seize  the  whole  world? 

PHEDRO 

If  you  are  willing  to  mean  always  what  you 
feel  now,  your  Majesty. 

QUEEN 

Don't  talk  absurdly,  Phedro.  Always  is 
never  more  than  now.  And  now  is  ever  a 
part  of  eternity.  Ah,  I  will  make  you  more 
than  you  would  dare  ask  if  there  is  something 
to  be  done  and  you  do  it.  Only  I  would 
rather  not  know  the  means.  I  would  rather 
not  be  mixed  up  in  the  brew  or  it  might  sicken 
me  afterwards  to  drink — of  the  Spring  of 
Life. 

PHEDRO 

May  I  beg  for  the  reason  of  my  scheme 
to  be  left  by  your  Majesty  for  a  little  ? 

QUEEN 

Yes,  yes,  I  go,  Phedro.     Oh,  I  would  not 

have  this  if  I  thought  it  would  deprive  him 

of  anything   he  really   wanted,    but  he  is 

ephemeral,   aesthetic — in  fact,  he  is  a  poet 

60 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

and  doesn't  really  care  for  people.  It  is  only 
for  what  they  can  make  him  feel  that  he  likes 
them.  Ah,  how  fascinating  it  is  in  him  to 
be  like  that! 

[PHEDRO  bows  over  her  hand,  and  she 
goes  out.  Sound  of  DEA'S  singing  comes 
very  near  the  stage.  PHEDRO  hides  be 
hind  some  tall  shrubbery.  DEA  steps  out, 
tenderly  sniffing  the  air.] 

DEA 

At  last  the  Queen  is  gone ;  the  night  is  mine. 
What  a  fragrance,  what  an  exciting  fragrance ! 
It  is  as  if  all  the  rose  petals  in  the  world 
were  fighting  in  the  air! 

PHEDRO  [stepping  out,  masked] 

Fighting  in  the  air  and  in  the  dark,  but 
that  is  human  destiny,  my  dear  young  lady. 

DEA  [starting] 
Who  are  you  ? 

PHEDRO 
A  deep  and  disinterested  friend  of  yours. 

DEA 

It  is  late.  ...  I  must  be  ...  [at 
tempts  to  leave] 

61 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

PHEDRO 

Tell  me  ...  whom  would  you  like  to 
help  most  in  the  world  ? 

DEA  [gaily  and  innocently] 
Him  whom  I  love  most  in  the  world. 

PHEDRO 
Ah,  that  is  Gwymplane. 

DEA 
How  did  you  guess? 

PHEDRO 

You  are  too  innocent  to  understand  the 
keeping  of  secrets,  but  if  you  wish  to  render 
Gwymplane  a  service  .  .  . 

DEA 
I  should  like  to  more  than  to  live  .    .    . 

PHEDRO 

Well,  take  this  letter  in  your  hands  tonight 
.  '.  .to  where  I  shall  lead  you,  and  give  it 
to  whom  I  shall  appoint  to  receive  it. 

DEA 
But  explain  .    .    . 

62 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

PHEDRO 

There  is  little  I  may  tell  you,  and  much  that 
you  will  have  to  believe.  I  know  of  Gwym- 
plane  unknown  facts  that  would  make  him 
respected  and  rich  to  the  end.  of  his  days,  and 
of  course  you  would  not  wish  him  always  to 
remain  a  clown. 

DEA 

I  love  him  too  much  to  detain  him  in  the 
little  area  of  my  wishes.  Yet  why  should  / 
carry  this  note? 

PHEDRO 

Because  it  must  reaph  her  Majesty  by  you 
before  dawn. 

DEA 

Her  Majesty?  Shall  I  approach  her 
Majesty? 

PHEDRO 

You  will  observe  many  distinguished  per 
sons  tonight,  and  at  close  range. 

DEA 

What  shall  I  say? 

PHEDRO 

That  you  know,  that  you  carry  proof  that 
63 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

Gwymplane  is  fully  entitled  to  all  the  imme 
diate  riches  and  respect  this  letter  begs  for 
him. 

DEA 

Oh,  it  will  be  wonderful  to  tell  the  Queen 
that  Gwymplane  is  entitled  to  immediate 
riches  and  respect.  How  happy  he  shall  be 
made  at  my  hands! 

PHEDRO  [half  aside] 

Just  so  much  chance  have  any  of  us  got 
at  the  hands  of  those  who  love  us. 

[Sound  of  a  flute  is  heard.} 

DEA 

Gwymplane  is  coming ! 

PHEDRO  [walking  swiftly  to  DEA] 

Mind  what  I  tell  you.  Walk,  feel  your  way 
down  this  long  avenue  of  cypress  to  your 
right,  and  stop  at  the  first  white  marble  door 
you  touch  upon  your  left.  Wait  there  for  me. 
When  I  come  I  shall  imitate  the  call  of  a 
cuckoo  in  order  that  the  attendants  may  open 
to  us  immediately. 

[DEA  goes  out  hurriedly.    GWYMPLANE 
saunters  in  with  his  strange,  twisted  walk.] 
64 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

PHEDRO 

You  roam  late  in  solitude  among  the  damp 
grasses.  Does  that  not  make  you  too  melan 
choly  for  jests? 

GWYMPLANE 

My  ability  to  jest  was  affixed  upon  me  by 
the  gods  in  one  of  their  humorous  moments; 
however,  anything  may  be  written  in  the 
parchment  under  the  seal. 

[He  attempts  to  pass  on.] 

PHEDRO  [intently  regarding  him] 
You  are  a  curious  fellow. 

GWYMPLANE 

* 

I  think  it  is  you  who  are  curious,  sir. 

PHEDRO 

Ah,  that  was  spoken  after  the  manner  of 
your  class. 

GWYMPLANE 

My  class,  of  mountebanks,  you  mean? 

PHEDRO 

No,  my  meaning  is  gathering  slowly.    After 

5  65 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

all,  rain  does  not  pour  from  the  clouds  until 
there  has  been  sufficient  mist. 

[GWYMPLANE   looks   at   him   intently, 
then  once  more  attempts  departure.] 

PHEDRO 
One  moment. 

GWYMPLANE 

I  beg  you,  sir,  to  let  me  pass.  I  am  a  prey 
tonight  to  reveries  that  make  of  me  a  dull 
companion. 

PHEDRO  [experimentally] 

A  lady  of  the  court  was  enraptured  by 
your  performance,  a  lady  who  for  many  years 
has  been  aware  of  nothing  but  herself. 

GWYMPLANE  [starting  almost  imperceptibly] 
I  am  glad  if  my  performance  pleased 

PHEDRO 
It  did  much  more. 

GWYMPLANE 

In  the  measure  of  amusement  I  may  have 
caused  I  am  not  interested. 
66 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

PHEDRO 

Nevertheless,  it  seemed  to  me  that  you 
were  a  little  burned  by  the  flame  you  cast  out. 

GWYMPLANE 

Ah,  I  see  that  you  enjoy  pursuing  other 
people's  business;  consequently  you  free  me 
from  the  necessity  of  listening  to  you. 

PHEDRO  [assuming  anger] 

Come  now,  don't  offend  me.  After  all  I 
am  the  steward  of  the  Queen's  court.  It  was 
I  who  obtained  your  licence  to  act  in  the 
palace  grounds,  and  so  apparently  gratify 
a  long-felt  ambition  of  your  lovely  fellow 
artiste. 

GWYMPLANE  [softened] 

Ah — Dea,  yes.  She  has  always  dreamed  of 
playing  in  the  palace  park.  No,  I  do  not 
wish  to  be  rude  to  you,  but  I  beg  of  you  to 
cease  your  gossip.  My  task  was  harder 
tonight  than  usual.  I  am  perhaps  overtired. 

[He  puts  a  hand  to  his  head.] 

PHEDRO 

Come,  are  you  not  a  man?  Is  not  the 
admiration  of 

67 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

GWYMPLANE 

Do  not  talk  to  me  of  these  things.  Do  not 
talk  of  these  things,  I  beg  of  you.  [with  a 
suggestion  of  sob  in  his  voice]  I  am  not  like 
other  men. 

[Unnoticed  an  equerry  enters,  and  stands 
at  PHEDRO'S  side  with  a  large,  scented  and 
sealed  envelope.] 

EQUERRY 
Your  pardon,  sirs. 

PHEDRO 

[Going  swiftly  over  to  the  equerry,  and 
in  a  low  aside.] 

For  whom  is  your  letter? 

EQUERRY  [in  a  whisper] 
For  one  Messire  Gwymplane. 

PHEDRO  [attempts  to  take  the  letter] 
I  will  see  he  gets  it  and  reads  it. 

EQUERRY 
Who  are  you? 

[PHEDRO  pulls  up  his  mask] 
68 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

O,  Messire  Phedro. 

[He  bows  low  and  hands  him  the  note.] 

PHEDRO  [in  a  grand  voice] 
You  may  leave.    I  will  deliver  your  note. 
[then  in  a  low  voice  for  the  equerry  alone]    Wait 
behind  the  hedge  and  I  will  give  you  an 
answer. 

[Exit  equerry.  GWYMPLANE  starts  to 
depart.  PHEDRO  puts  his  arm  on  his, 
detaining  him,  while  he  opens  the  letter 
and  reads  it.  A  smile  oj  malicious  joy 
crosses  his  countenance  which  he  quickly 
cloaks  with  a  look  of  alarm.  He  speaks 
aside:] 

How  strange  this  is!  Strange  as  if  a 
precious  bird  long  waited  for  in  the  night 
were  to  suddenly  fly  down  and  peck  at  my 
very  gun.  However  .  .  . 

[He  returns  to  himself  with  a  start,  walks 
over  to  the  hedge  where  the  equerry  is 
waiting  for  the  reply] 

Say  to  her  Grace  that  she  is  understood, 
and  shall  be  almost  instantly  obeyed.  [He 
turns  to  GWYMPLANE.] 

GWYMPLANE 

I  beg  of  you,  sir,  permit  me  to  depart. 
69 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

PHEDRO 
There  is  trouble  abroad  and  it  concerns  you. 

GWYMPLANE 

Me? 

PHEDRO 
Still  there  is  probably  much  time. 

GWYMPLANE 

Explain. 

PHEDRO 
What  do  you  call  the  blind  girl? 

GWYMPLANE 

Dea.  It  is  not  anything  about  Dea? 
There  was  not  anything  about  Dea  in  that 
letter,  was  there? 

PHEDRO 
It  was  all  about  her. 

GWYMPLANE 
How? 

PHEDRO 

Listen.  Instead  of  attending  to  this  my 
self,  as  I  have  done  in  hundreds  of  similar 
cases,  I  am  going  to  take  you  into  my  confi 
dence. 

70 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

GWYM  PLANE 

What  is  it?    What  is  it? 

PHEDRO 

Your  lovely  fellow  artiste  is  gone. 

GWYMPLANE  [crying  out] 

Gone?  My  Dea!  That  is  impossible. 
She  does  not  wish  to  go  anywhere  that  I  am 
not. 

PHEDRO 

Perhaps  her  wishes  remained  unconsulted. 
She  may  have  been  abducted. 

GWYMPLANE  [drawing  back] 

What  are  you  saying?  It  is  so  monstrous 
I  must  laugh  or  scream  if  I  go  on  listening 
to  you.  [shakes  PHEDRO  by  the  arm]  Come 
out  with  it.  Where  has  she  gone?  But  she 
is  in  bed!  Where  else? 

[He  runs  back  to  the  cart,  and  is  heard 
calling  frantically.  The  voice  of  URSUS 
answers  him.  PHEDRO  stands  listening, 
an  evil  smile  contorting  his  mouth.] 

GWYMPLANE  [of  stage] 
Dea! 

[There  is  no  answer.] 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

GWYMPLANE 

[Re-entering    hurriedly.      Goes    up    to 
PHEDRO  in  a  threatening  manner.] 

I  do  not  understand.  There  is  something 
moving  around  me  that  is  foul  and  stealthy. 
Tell  me  what  it  is  or  I'll  make  you  feel  as 
if  you  were  falling  down  an  abyss  of  knives. 

PHEDRO 

Calm,  my  gentle  talker.  To  consider  al 
ternatives,  one  must  keep  one's  presence  of 
mind. 

GWYMPLANE 

I  know.  I  can  imagine  what  these  courts 
are  like  and  I'll  usher  you  into  hell  at  once 
if  you  are  trying  to  spatter  any  foul  scheme 
upon  what  I  love. 

PHEDRO 

Ah,  Dea  is  yours? 

GWYMPLANE 

No,  you  squinting  rodent.  She  is  mine 
only  as  the  light  is  mine,  and  she  belongs  to 
my  soul  as  my  prayers  do. 

PHEDRO 

Be  calm.    You  have  misconstrued  me  and 
72 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

are  wasting  time  hurling  invectives  at  some 
unclean  figure  in  your  own  fancy. 

GWYMPLANE 

Well,  then,  speak  out  quickly. 

PHEDRO 

The  Prince  has  fallen  desperately  in  love 
with  her.  He  confided  in  me  so  much.  The 
letter  I  received  informed  me  that  he  had 
prevailed  upon  her  in  some  manner  to  go 
with  him  and  that  I  was  to  meet  him  in  the 
palace  at  the  stroke  of  the  quarter  to  render 
him  some  service. 

GWYMPLANE 
I  cannot  believe  it ;  let  me  see  the  letter. 

PHEDRO 

[Searching  his  pockets  and  vest  for  the 
letter.] 

Gracious,  I  must  have  torn  it  up  in  my 
nervousness.  Ah  yes,  there  it  is. 

[He  points  to  some  pieces  of  torn  paper 
lying  at  his  feet  in  the  darkness.] 

73 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

GWYMPLANE  [knocking  his  fists  to  his  forehead.] 

You  mean  this  letter  came  from  him  who 
is  to  marry  the  Duchess  tomorrow?  He  who 
looks  like  the  Athenian  Victory,  [glancing 
at  his  own  distorted  limbs]  But  Dea  cannot 
see  this,  [and  in  a  voice  almost  of  triumph] 
And  she  cannot  see  him!  He  must  have 
stolen  her. 

PHEDRO  [acidly] 

His  eloquence  would  steal  the  pollen  out 
of  a  flower. 

GWYMPLANE 

Ah  Dea !  But  after  all — he  may  have  told 
her. 

PHEDRO 
What? 

[GWYMPLANE  with  a  strange  sad  gesture] 
How  I  am. 

PHEDRO 
She  has  never  known? 

GWYMPLANE 

Why  should  she  ?  [half  to  himself]  It  was 
sweet  that  she  should  love  what  I  am — not 
what  I  appear. 

74 


CLA1R  DE  LUNE 

PHEDRO 

Perhaps  he  has  told  her,  and  her  hands 
have  travelled  over  his  face  and  found  that 
it  is  very  fair. 

[GWYMPLANE  bends  his  head  between 
his  arms.] 

But  maybe  she  has  gone  against  her  will. 

GWYMPLANE 

Yes,  that  is  it.  I  must  find  out — O,  God, 
take  me  to  where  I  can  find  out. 

PHEDRO 

Wait  for  me  here  a  moment  and  I  will 
prepare  for  your  entrance  into  the  palace. 
It  may  be  very  difficult  to  effect  an  entrance. 

[He  goes  out  and  a  few  seconds  after 
there  is  a  sound  of  a  cuckoo  catting,  fol 
lowed  by  the  noise  of  a  slammed  door. 
GWYMPLANE  walks  up  and  down  in  dis 
traction.] 

URSUS  [from  the  cart] 

Gwymplane!  Gwymplane!  Is  there  any 
thing  the  matter? 

75 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

GWYM  PLANE 

I  am  nervous  and  restless.  I  have  never 
been  so  restless. 

URSUS 

Well,  walk  far  into  the  night,  my  son,  until 
the  iron  clamping  your  brain  with  wakeful- 
ness  melts,  fades  into  that  dew  of  restfulness 
falling  upon  all  things  before  the  dawn. 

PHEDRO  [returning  abruptly] 
Are  you  ready? 

GWYMPLANE 

I  am  dying  of  readiness. 
[ They  go  out.] 


76 


ACT  II 


77 


ACT  II 

SCENE  i 

[In  the  bedroom  of  the  DUCHESS — ex 
quisite,  fantastic,  with  walls  panelled  in 
odd  peacock  blue.  Upon  these  walls  are 
crystal  appliques  of  a  bizarre  design, 
looking  like  strange  ear-rings  and  hold 
ing  within  them  amber  lights.  In  the 
centre  of  the  room  falls  a  crystal  candelabra 
with  five  small  slender  scarlet  candles.  On 
stage  right  a  slender  bed  made  entirely  of 
the  body  of  a  swan — a  canopy  over  it  of 
pale  rose  net  is  attached  with  three  blue 
feathers  to  the  ceiling.  This  canopy  drops 
over  the  head  and  foot  of  the  bed.  On 
stage  left  is  a  dressing  mirror  and  table 
draped  in  fresh  white  muslin  and  rare 
lace.  Below  this  table  is  a  door — another 
door  is  directly  opposite  and  behind  the 
bed  which  faces  the  audience.  In  direct 
centre  is  a  tall  oblong  window  draped  with 
a  daffodil  yellow  taffeta  jaintly  striped  in 
mauve.  A  little  in  front,  beneath  this 

79 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

window,  is  a  directoire  sofa  covered  with 
pillows  of  exquisite  brocade.  The  chairs 
and  other  appointments  of  furniture  are 
cream-colored,  bespattered  with  flowers  and 
reminiscent  of  Venice.  On  the  right,  just 
off  centre  a  marble  faun  with  grotesque 
features  on  a  black  onyx  pedestal.  The 
DUCHESS  has  set  around  its  throat  many 
of  her  priceless  necklaces. 

A  maid  is  seen  preparing  for  the 
DUCHESS  when  the  curtain  rises. 

Enter  the  DUCHESS  after  a  few  seconds' 
interval.] 

DUCHESS 

How  is  it  possible  that  he  is  not  returned? 
How  long  has  he  been  gone  ?  Did  you  notice 
what  o'clock  it  was  when  I  sent  him?  An 
swer  me,  answer  me  something.  Don't  stand 
about  bemused  as  if  you  had  never  heard  of  a 
clock,  or  Piccolo,  or  a  letter  since  you  were 
born. 

MAID 

He  cannot  have  had  your  note  beyond  a 
few  minutes,  Madame,  but  I  think 

[She  bends  in  an  attitude  of  listening. 
The  DUCHESS  is  before  her  in  opening  the 
door  on  right.] 

80 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

[PICCOLO,  the  same  equerry  seen  before, 
enters  bowing  low.] 

PICCOLO 

Your  Grace. 

DUCHESS  [with  unconcealed  impatience] 
Did  you  find  the  clown  ? 

PICCOLO 

Yes,  your  Grace. 

[He  is  obviously  disturbed] 

DUCHESS 

Could  he  read  my  letter?  Did  he  appear 
to  be  reading  it?  [She  walks  swiftly  up  and 
down]  Maybe  he  cannot  read. 

PICCOLO 

He  did  not  receive  the  letter  from  me,  your 
Grace. 

DUCHESS 
How  do  you  mean  ? 

PICCOLO 

I  think  it  was  he  who  was  standing  with 
Messire  Phedro,  who  took  it  from  me  to  give 
it  to  him. 

6  81 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

DUCHESS 

You  tasselled  ass,  why  did  you  let  him  have 
it? 

PICCOLO  [trying  to  save  himself] 

Nay,  your  Grace,  he  gave  it  at  once  to  the 
clown,  for  I  know  it  was  the  clown  standing 
with  him  by  the  spidery  confusion  of  his 
limbs.  Messire  Phedro  said  I  was  to  tell 
your  Grace  that  you  were  understood  and 
would  be  obeyed. 

DUCHESS  [half  to  herself] 

Well,  maybe  there  is  some  reason,  [she 
turns  to  the  equerry]  Go  about  your  business. 
Don't  stand  around  as  if  you  were  expecting 
the  lash  or  you  will  feel  it. 

[The    equerry    rapidly    retires.       The 
DUCHESS  turns  to  her  maid.] 

DUCHESS 

Ugh !  Rid  me  of  all  this  glittering  discom 
fort. 

[The  maid  helps  her  out  of  the  stiff 
wonderful  dress  and  into  a  lovely  azure 
garment  sprayed  with  silver  flowers.] 
82 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

DUCHESS 

[Fixing  the  maid  with  a  peremptory  eye.} 

I  will  only  consent  to  be  disturbed  by  one 
person  tonight.  He  will  come  alone  or  with 
Messire  Phedro.  He  will  be  stooped,  a  little 
below  the  medium  height,  and  will  probably 
be  in  black.  If  the  Prince  command  me  I 
am  already  at  rest.  If  the  Queen  command 
me  I  am  ill.  Do  you  understand  that  I  will 
be  at  home  to  no  one  save  this  one  visitor? 

MAID 
Your  Grace  is  obeyed. 

[The  DUCHESS  walks  over  to  the  window 
and  throws  it  wide  open.  Moonlight  falls 
strongly  in  the  garden  just  outside  and 
water  splashes  noisily  from  the  plump  hands 
of  a  dancing  Cupid,  poised  airily  upon  a 
minute  Doric  column.  The  DUCHESS 
turns,  frowning  impatiently  as  she  watches 
the  maid's  motions  about  the  room.} 

DUCHESS 

Go,  go.  How  can  you  take  so  long  to 
straighten  a  pair  of  slippers. 

[The  maid  retires  precipitately.     The 
83 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

DUCHESS  turns  once  more  towards  the 
window,  glancing  across  the  court.} 

There  are  shadows  in  Charles's  room, 
wrangling  shadows. 

[She  puts  her  finger  to  her  lip,  biting 
it  in  a  meditative  manner} 

Ah,  somebody  is  trying  to  break  away.    What 
a  bore  it  would  be 

[There  is  a  sound  of  a  key  clicking  in 
the  latch;  the  door  on  stage  left  opens. 
PHEDRO  comes  swiftly  into  the  room.  He 
checks  an  exclamation  of  the  DUCHESS, 
speaking  hurriedly.} 

PHEDRO 

I  know,  I  guessed.  Listen,  Gwymplane 
has  not  had  your  letter.  This  was  the  only 
possible  way.  I  have  told  him  his  blind  girl 
is  in  the  palace,  in  order  to  draw  him  hither. 
Play  to  that,  first. 

[The  DUCHESS  hastily  slips  on  a  mask.} 

GWYMPLANE  [entering^ 
Where  are  we  now? 

DUCHESS  [coming  forward  graciously} 
I  believe  you  seek — 
84 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

GWYMPLANE  [hastily] 

The  blind  girl  in  my  troupe.    It  appears 
she  is  in  the  palace. 

DUCHESS 
[Trying  to  conceal  her  joy  at  his  arrival.] 

The  palace  is  so  amazingly  large.   Have 
you  an  idea  in  what  part  of  the  palace  to  look  ? 

GWYMPLANE  [bitterly] 
Some  slight  idea. 

DUCHESS 

Then  you  cannot  do  better  than  to  send 
Phedro  to  the  exact  spot. 

GWYMPLANE 

Very  well.    We  both  will 


[He  makes  a  motion  of  departure.] 

DUCHESS 

No,  no.  [detaining  him  with  her  white  arm] 
Let  him  go  and  discover  where  she  is  and  if 
he  cannot  bring  her  here,  then  he  shall  return 
and  take  you  to  her. 

85 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

GWYMPLANE 

But  that  will  lose  time,  I  must- 


DUCHESS 

Mistakes  are  so  much  more  disastrous  than 
delay.  One  can  pass  unnoticed  where  two 
will  be  remarked.  Trust  to  my  better  know 
ledge  of  the  court. 

GWYMPLANE  [reluctantly] 

Very  well,  Madame.  Only  speed,  Sir, 
speed,  and  return  to  me. 

PHEDRO 

I  will,  dear  mummer. 
[He  exits.] 

DUCHESS 

[Turning  to  GWYMPLANE  with  gracious 
triteness.] 

Ah,  what  an  unexpected  delight  that  I 
might  tell  you  what  pleasure  your  perform 
ance  gave. 

GWYMPLANE  [standing  stiffly  attentive] 

Then  my  work  is  lavishly  rewarded, 
Madame. 

86 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

DUCHESS 

[In  the  tone  of  one  who  confers  by  asking 
a  favor.] 

Do  unmask.  It  is  so  very  warm  in  these 
rooms. 

GWYMPLANE 

I  consider  but  your  comfort,  Madame,  in 
wearing  my  mask. 

DUCHESS  [smiling  subtly] 

Nay,  you  would  be  surprised  at  what  con 
siders  my  comfort  and  what  does  not.  Your 
mask,  for  instance,  does  not. 

[She  sinks  upon  her  chaise  longue,  in 
tensely  graceful  and  beautiful.  GWYM 
PLANE  lets  his  eyes  rest  upon  her  for  a 
moment.] 

Your  mask,  do  remove  it.  I  have  always 
heard  artists  were  most  gallant  to  women. 
See,  I  remove  mine. 

GWYMPLANE 

[Stifled  with  surprise  and  emotion.] 
Madame  .    .    .   Madame.   .    .    . 
87 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

DUCHESS 

Come !  I  command  you  to  obey  me.  Pray 
take  off  your  mask !  You  can  have  no  idea 
how  I  hate  mentioning  a  desire  twice. 

[GWYMPLANE  removes  his  mask.     The 
DUCHESS  looks  at  him  intently  and  sighs.] 

DUCHESS 
It  must  be  wonderful  to  be  you. 

[She  motions  him  to  a  black  cushion 
with  golden  tassels  at  the  foot  of  her  couch.] 

GWYMPLANE 
[Who  has  by  this  time  mastered  himself.] 

To  be  me,  Madame?  [bitterly]  But  of 
course  your  life  is  a  revel  of  laughter ;  so  why 
should  not  your  thoughts  be  forever  jesting 
through  your  words? 

DUCHESS 
I  am  not  jesting. 

GWYMPLANE  [surprised] 
Madame  ? 

DUCHESS 

It  must  be  wonderful  to  be  you  and  wind 
88 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

through  forests  and  across  hills  into  new 
cities  with  your  drummers  beating  attention 
for  you,  through  lines  of  unknown  faces,  faces 
over  whom  you  have  a  rare — a  great  power. 
For  you  can  moisten  them  with  tears — choke 
away  their  breath  with  laughter.  And  after 
wards,  when  you  have  finished  your  perfor 
mance  and  are  walking  on  the  outskirts  of 
some  alien  city,  tell  me,  do  not  certain  ones 
steal  out  to  you  and  tell  you  of  the  blasphe 
mous  fancies  you  have  stirred  awake  in  their 
souls  ? 

GWYMPLANE 

What  are  you  saying,  Madame,  what  are 
you  not  saying! 

DUCHESS 

[Leaning  forward  and  taking  one  of  his 
beautiful  hands.] 

O,  Gwymplane,  I  am  lonely.  You  can 
have  no  idea  how  lonely.  Everything  around 
me  is  so  false  to  my  desires,  is  so  alien  to 
what  I  feel  myself  to  be. 

GWYMPLANE 

You   are   so   beautiful,    Madame.      Your 
loneliness  only  makes  you  more  so.    It  lends 
89 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

the  quality  of  a  goddess  to  what  is  already 
earthly  majesty. 

[He  is  about  to  press  his  strange  lips  to 
her  hands,  when  suddenly  he  remembers 
and  resists.] 

DUCHESS 

Ah,  you  were  going  to  kiss  my  hand.  Why 
didn't  you  kiss  it?  [She  stretches  it  out  close 
to  his  mouth.]  See — here — here  it  is,  most  soft 
and  white. 

[GWYMPLANE  draws  away,  passing  his 
hand  across  his  brow.  The  DUCHESS 
leans  toward  him,  almost  over  him.] 

I  am  very  lonely,  Gwymplane.  Give  me  a 
few  moments  of  forgetfulness.  O,  tell  me 
about  your  life — tell  me  about  what  has 
happened  to  you. 

[She  lays  her  hand  upon  his  shoulder. 
GWYMPLANE  takes  it,  kisses  it,  and  looks 
up  at  her  with  flaming  eyes  and  chalk-pale 
face.] 

Ah,  that  is  nice!  The  touch  of  your  lips 
chills,  burns  me  with  forgetfulness.  The 
touch  of  your  lips  is  like  a  tide  hushing, 
sucking  my  wakefulness  down  into  depths  of 
terrible  oblivion.  O,  listen,  you  are  grotesque 
90 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

— your  limbs  are  like  the  coils  of  nightmare. 
I  love  you  because  you  are  so  grotesque — 
because  upon  your  face  is  stamped  the  con 
torted  beauty  of  your  mind — your  mind 
that  is  surely  as  amazing  as  your  face.  O, 
Gwymplane,  tell  me  of  what  you  have 
thought,  tell  me  of  what  you  are  thinking. 

GWYMPLANE 

[Who  is  led  into  rapture  by  her  words, 
kneels  and  suddenly  kisses  her  feet.] 

I  am  kissing  your  little  white  feet.  It  is 
like  brushing  my  face  amongst  sprays  of 
silken  flowers. 

DUCHESS 

Ah,  do  not  talk  beautifully  to  me,  Gwym 
plane. 

GWYMPLANE 

But  you  are  beauty !  What  other  language 
would  you  understand? 

DUCHESS 

Do  not  talk  to  me  beautifully,  Gwymplane. 
Talk  to  me  with  the  savage  pulsating  words 
of  your  clown  language.  Talk  to  me  as  if 
you  held  a  whip  in  your  hand.  [She  catches 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

at  his  hand]  What  marvellous  hands  you 
have !  Deceitful  hands — for  they  look  unlike 
the  things  they  do — the  things  they  must  do. 

GWYMPLANE 

[Sitting  upon  her  couch  and  bending 
over  her  lips.] 

I  think  you  are  something  I  have  stolen 
out  of  a  temple — a  wonderful  winged  crowned 
figure  that  I  have  stolen  out  of  a  temple  and 
profaned.  I  feel  as  if  we  were  in  a  black 
barge  upon  a  scarlet  sea,  as  if  in  a  moment 
it  would  dip  over  the  horizon  line  and  we 
should  be  lost  forever  together.  O,  I  feel 
as  if  all  the  light  in  the  world  were  flowing 
from  behind  the  chalice  of  your  pale  face.  I 
love  you,  I  love  you. 

DUCHESS 

[Drawing  away  from  his  straining  arms 
and  lips.] 

You  love  me,  you  love  me!  But  you  do 
not  talk  to  me  as  if  you  were  a  clown.  You 
do  not  speak  to  me  with  those  curiously 
pungent  words  that  are  flung  between  men 
and  women  in  the  thickets  near  the  booths. 
[almost  pettishly]  You  do  not  talk  at  all  like 
a  clown,  Gwymplane. 
92 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

GWYMPLANE 

[His  eyes  slowly  travelling  over  her  body.] 

I  do  not  understand — I  cannot  understand 
why  you  permit  my  hands  to  touch  you. 
Does  not  the  flame  from  my  hands  burn  you 
as  they  tremble  and  hover  nearer,  nearer  to 
your  scorching  loveliness?  But  I  think  you 
are  ivory,  ivory  dyed  in  hues  of  dawn  and 
sunset. 

DUCHESS 

Ah,  I  wish  you  would  not  speak  to  me 
beautifully.  I  tell  you  beauty  is  not  so  dear 
to  me  as  ugliness.  O,  Gwymplane  [with  a 
rather  coarse  gesture  nudging  his  arm],  O, 
Gwymplane,  tell  me  of  love  as  I  want  to  hear 
of  it,  and  I  will  love  you  better  than  all  the 
rest! 

GWYMPLANE 

The  rest  ?  [he  presses  his  hand  to  his  temple] 
There  are  no  rest.  There  was  one — O  God! 
I  am  lost!  Nothing  matters  now  [in  a  shrill 
voice].  I — I  have  found  out  what  I  can  be! 

DUCHESS 

[Stretching  herself  and  smiling  upon 
him.] 

How  happy  I  am  with  you,  my  distorted 
93 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

lover!  Only  I  wish  you  had  not  taken  the 
white  paint  from  your  face.  I  wish  your  lips 
were  fantastically  scarlet  as  when  you 
danced.  I  wish  you  were  in  your  clown's 
dress  and  that  the  circus  dwarfs  could  be 
here,  playing  their  evil  music  while  we 
talked.  Kiss  me. 

GWYMPLANE 

[Drawing  away  and  gazing  at  her  in 
rapture,} 

But  my  heart  is  here,  underneath  your 
slender  foot.  O,  my  heart  has  no  will  of  its 
own  but  is  only  a  reckless  fever  leaping, 
shivering  after  crumbs  of  your  favour. 

[He  is  about  to  kiss  her,  when  suddenly 
the  DUCHESS  turns  aside — an  odd  numb 
ness  creeping  over  her  features.} 

DUCHESS 

Something  is  wrong — terribly  wrong.  You 
do  not  speak  to  me  like  a  clown.  You  are 
not  like  a  clown.  Who  are  you — what  are 
you  really? 

GWYMPLANE 

My  love  [he  turns  to  kiss  her  shoulder},  I 
94 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

am  your  lover.    What  does  any  other  reality 
matter  tonight  ? 

[There  is  a  knock  at  the  door  on  stage 
left.  GWYMPLANE  starts  to  his  feet,  fling 
ing  upon  the  DUCHESS  a  look  of  terror.] 

DUCHESS  [biting  her  lip — calls  out] 
Who  dares  to  disturb  my  rest  ? 

VOICE  OF  PRINCE  CHARLES 
It  is  I. 

DUCHESS 
WeU? 

CHARLES 

Phedro  told  me  he  thought  he  heard  you 
cry  out  a  moment  ago? 

DUCHESS 

Ah,  so  it  is  he — [her  face  has  grown  dark  and 
furious]  or  does  he  push  in  some  accident  to 
favour  me. 

GWYMPLANE  [in  a  low  voice] 

Treachery — if  I  had  not  been  so  mad  all 
evening  I  could  have  smelt  it  on  every  gust 
of  air. 

95 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

JOSEPHINE 
Hush,  don't  ruin  us. 

CHARLES 
Did  I  hear  you  speak? 

JOSEPHINE 

No,  Charles.  I  was  merely  muttering  a 
few  imprecations  at  you  for  disturbing  my 
rest. 

CHARLES 

You  want  for  nothing? 

JOSEPHINE 

For  nothing  save  to  be  left  in  peace. 

[The  footsteps  of  the  PRINCE  are  heard 
receding.  Suddenly  through  the  open 
French  window  steps  DEA.  GWYMPLANE 
shudders  back  with  horror.  The  DUCHESS 
looks  in  amazement  and  anger  at  the  lovely 
apparition.  GWYMPLANE  with  a  gesture 
of  supplication  implores  her  to  be  silent. 
The  DUCHESS  returns  his  look  contemptu 
ously] 

DEA  [advancing  into  the  room] 

Where  am  I  ?    Someone  took  me  out  of  one 
room  and  pushed  me  in  here. 
96 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

DUCHESS 

I  am  the  Duchess  of  Beaumont.  You  are 
in  my  room. 

DEA 

O,  I  am  glad,  Madame.  I  have  been  ter 
ribly  frightened  all  evening. 

[GwYM PLANE   stands  frozenly  against 
the  wall.] 

DUCHESS 

Really?     By  what? 

DEA 

I  was  looking  for  the  Queen.  I  was  being 
guided  to  the  Queen's  apartment  when  sud 
denly  I  found  myself  in  a  room  with  some 
gentleman. 

DUCHESS 
Ah,  what  gentleman,  I  wonder? 

DEA 

I  do  not  know.  I  am  blind  and  he  would 
not  answer  me.  But  I  felt  his  hand  to  see 
if  it  was  the  Court  Steward's.  It  was  not  the 
Court  Steward's  hand,  for  this  man  wore  a 
ring  with  a  gigantic  stone. 

7  97 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

DUCHESS 

[Always  unquestionably  upon  the  right 
scent  of  anything  damaging  to  her  vanity.] 

An  oblong  stone? 

DEA  [pausing] 

Yes,  your  Grace,  I  am  sure  it  was  an  oblong 
stone. 

DUCHESS  [her  face  becoming  very  malicious] 
Well,  what  did  he  wish  of  you? 

DEA 

He  said  many  things  to  me.  He  told  me 
how  I  appeared  to  him  in  all  things  beautiful, 
and  that  he  wished  to  steal  me  away  forever 
from  the  troop  and  for  himself  because  he 
loved  me. 

DUCHESS  [starts] 

[GWYMPLANE  wrings  his  hands  in  im 
potent  jury.] 

Strange  those  bundles  we  possess,  that  are 
of  no  value  to  us  whatever,  should,  neverthe 
less,  when  they  fall  into  the  river,  become 
precious  as  gold,  [she  snaps  her  fingers]  So 
much  for  faithfulness!  And  you  answered 
this  gentleman? 

98 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

DEA  [looking  around  abstracted] 

Your  Grace,  is  there  anyone  else  in  this 
room? 

DUCHESS 
I  don't  think  so. 

[GWYMPLANE  starts  imperceptibly.  The 
malicious  DUCHESS,  reading  his  thought, 
shuts  the  window  and  locks  it.  GWYM 
PLANE  looks  at  her  in  terror.] 

And  what  did  you  reply  to  your  prepos 
terous  lover,  little  gipsy  thief? 

DEA 

Madame ! 

DUCHESS 

Unconscious,  charming  thief  of  affection 
that  should  tonight,  if  ever,  have  been  faith 
ful  !  So  [half  to  herself]  one  can  be  jealous  of 
a  man  without  caring  a  rap  for  him!  Well, 
it  is  something  to  have  found  out  that  vanity 
is  the  ruling  passion.  I  shall  take  more  care 
of  its  feelings  than  ever  after  this.  But — 
your  story,  little  blind  girl. 

DEA 

O — I  stretched  my  arms  out  against  this 
gentleman  and  prayed,  and  my  prayer  was 

99 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

heard,  for  Phedro  came  and  said  he  thought 
he  had  heard  you  call,  and  this  man  went  out 
telling  me  to  remain,  when  a  pair  of  hands 
suddenly  laid  hold  upon  my  wrists  and  led 
me  out  into  the  air,  then  pushed  me  into 
this  room. 

DUCHESS 

Think  how  disappointed  your  lover  will  be 
when  he  returns  and  finds  you  gone! 

DEA 
I  do  not  care  what  he  should  think. 

DUCHESS 

Your  affections  are  already  a  wreath  upon 
some  mortal  head,  eh? 

DEA  [modestly] 
Yes,  I  love,  I  am  beloved. 

DUCHESS  [quizzically  regarding  her] 
By  whom,  pray? 

DEA 

Messire  Gwymplane  of  the  circus  troop. 
100 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

DUCHESS  [throwing  back  her  head  and  laughing 
No?    Beloved  by  Gwymplane,  you  say? 

[GWYMPLANE  looks  at  her  in  a  horror 
of  bewilderment,  the  point  of  her  conduct 
beginning  to  pierce  his  heart.] 

DEA 

0  yes,  beloved  by  Gwymplane. 

DUCHESS 

It  seems  to  me,  child,  that  upon  this  some 
what  fantastic  night  we  have  perhaps  changed 
partners. 

DEA 
Madame  ? 

[GWYMPLANE  stands  rigidly  silent.  The 
DUCHESS  plucks  a  flower  from  a  vase, 
throwing  the  petals  over  DEA'S  head  in  a 
gesture  half  gay,  half  brutal] 

DUCHESS 

At  last  the  whimsy  of  my  soul  is  out 
matched  by  the  turn  of  events. 

DEA 

1  hang  upon  your  words,  Madame,  yet  I 
do  not  understand  them. 

101 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

DUCHESS 

Still  you  and  I  have  proven  to  each  other, 
with  and  without  intent,  the  existence  of  a 
quality  common  to  the  world  at  large — faith 
lessness,  look  you. 

[With  an  almost  violent  gesture  she 
drags  DEA  over  to  GWYMPLANE  and  places 
her  hand  upon  the  familiar  form] 

DEA 

[Feeling  with  gradually  hurrying,  hys 
terical  fingers] 

Gwymplane,  my  love ! 

GWYMPLANE 
Ah,  Dea,  yes. 

DEA 

How  wonderful  to  find  you  in  this  terrible 
nightmare — like  a  fire  flaming  up  before 
snow-lost  feet. 

GWYMPLANE 
My  Dea. 

[She  puts  her  hand  upon  his  shoulder,  the 
DUCHESS  regarding  them  through  her 
lorgnette] 

102 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

DUCHESS 

What  an  idyl!  How  it  refreshes  me  to 
watch.  However,  come,  clown,  take  the  girl 
and  begone.  Here  is  a  crown  for  your  love — 
it  did  not  please  me,  you  know,  so  you  are 
getting  far  more  than  your  deserts. 

DEA  [halting] 

Your  love,  Gwymplane?  She  said  your 
love? 

GWYMPLANE 

Anyone  can  misuse  a  word,  but  my  voice 
is  lost  in  a  stammer  of  shame. 

DEA 

I  do  not  understand,  but  for  what  is  love 
save  to  pass  understanding?  [She  puts  her 
arm  through  his]  Come,  let  us  go. 

DUCHESS  [with  furious  malice] 

What  a  charming  way  of  conducting  life, 
little  blind  girl !  When  your  lover  is  tired  of 
pursuing  his  latest  fancy  and  has  been  thrown 
out  [almost  stamping  her  foot]  he  will  return 
and  grow  warm  in  the  rays  of  your  faith 

DEA 

Gwymplane  will  not  fancy  anyone  save  me. 
103 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

Ursus  says  so,  and  besides  I  know  it — I  could 
not  live  if  I  did  not  know  it. 


DUCHESS  [laughing] 

[GWYMPLANE  steps  menacingly  towards 
her.] 

Clown,  clown,  you  shall  not  murder  me 
because  I  do  not  champion  your  deceits,  [to 
DEA]  Your  lover  does  not  care  that  I  should 
repeat  the  poetry  of  his  conversation  to  me 
this  evening,  but  it  was  such  rare  poetry — 
more  rare  than  I  wanted  in  fact,  [mimicking 
derisively]  "I  feel  as  if  we  were  in  a  black 
barge  upon  a  scarlet  sea,  as  if  in  a  moment 
our  boat  would  dip  over  the  horizon  line,  and 
we  two  should  be  lost  forever,"  or — here  is 
another  pretty  line — "I  feel  as  if  all  the  rays 
of  light  in  the  world  were  flowing  from  behind 
the  chalice  of  your  pale  face." 

DEA  [putting  her  hand  to  her  heart] 

Oh,  Gwymplane — the  last  thing  she  said — 
was  so  like — so  like 

DUCHESS 

Maybe  it  is  a  stanza  that  he  says  to  all  of 
us.    Poets  are  peculiar  creatures — they  have 
104 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

their  lines  by  heart  and  insist  upon  repeating 
them,  even  at  the  wrong  moment. 


DEA  [staggers] 

Gwymplane,  my  love — for  you  are  my 
love — I  am  terribly  hurt  somewhere — Let  us 
go- 

GWYMPLANE 

[Supporting   DEA  and  turning  to  the 
DUCHESS.] 

You  did  not  have  your  pleasure,  I  know, 
and 

DUCHESS  [pointing  imperiously] 

Go,  clown.  I  can  add  the  situation  up  my 
self.  No,  I  think  I  want  another  word  with 
you. 

[GWYMPLANE,  unheeding,  tries  to  pass 
her  with  DEA  upon  his  arm.] 

Fool,  obey  me,  or  embrace  a  peril  that  will 
choke  you  and  your  little  friend  of  disobedi 
ence.  Come,  she  shall  await  you  in  my  pri 
vate  conservatory. 

[She  makes  a  gesture  as  if  to  separate 
them.] 

105 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

GWYMPLANE 

I  shall  go  with  her. 

DUCHESS 

Nay,  suspect  no  more  mousetraps.  Lead 
her  there  yourself ;  see  that  she  is  comfortable 
among  the  candles  and  flowers,  then  return 
to  me  for  your  own  interest  and  for  hers. 

[GWYMPLANE  leads  DEA  out  door  on 
left  and  returns.] 

You  have  had  a  strange  evening  for  a 
mountebank — an  evening  filled  with  such 
events  as  to  strain  almost  any  amount  of 
discretion. 

GWYMPLANE 

I  shall  not  talk. 

DUCHESS 

Not  of  ourselves,  of  course.  No  man,  not 
even  a  clown,  but  draws  a  veil  across  his 
rejected  flesh. 

GWYMPLANE 
Well  then? 

DUCHESS 

But  in  that  spiritual  condition  which  fol- 
106 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

lows  being  repudiated  your  muscles  will 
probably  be  seeking,  straining,  to  express 
your  mind  and  the  direction  will  probably  be 
to  avenge  your  blind  girl. 

GWYMPLANE 

All  that  in  my  own  way,  Madame. 

DUCHESS 

And  your  way  will  be?    Come. 

GWYMPLANE 

Ah,  Madame,  I  am  weary  of  your  com 
mands.  Over  my  actions  you  have  a  certain 
power,  but,  as  my  mind  and  what  shall  come 
out  of  it  is  still  mysterious  to  me,  I  am  afraid 
you  must  share  the  discomfort  of  my  own 
ignorance. 

DUCHESS  [in  a  more  kindly  tone] 

Listen  to  me,  clown.  You  were  brought  to 
me  tonight  to  relieve  me  of  a  whim,  I  admit 
that.  And  you  brought  me  no  relief. 

GWYMPLANE  [with  sophistication] 

The  question  interests  me  dispassionately, 
Madame.     But,  considering  you  waived  my 
107 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

personal  defects  [he  winces],  just  why  did  I 
not — please  you? 

DUCHESS 

But  I  told  you  before — I  wanted  a  clown, 
and  you  talk  like  the  very  essence  of  all  these 
lords  and  poets.  But  that  is  aside — I  am  to 
be  married  tomorrow. 

GWYMPLANE 

I  know, — to  him — and  you  wish  him  spared 
the  public  lash  of  scandal,  I  suppose. 

DUCHESS 

He  need  not  be  spared  it  entirely — I  do 
not  ask  that.  You  can  make  plea  to  the 
Queen,  if  you  wish,  the  day  after  the  cere 
mony — only  not  tomorrow.  Much  rests  on 
that  for  me. 

GWYMPLANE 

Madame,  with  the  insolence  of  your  class, 
you  are  asking  favours  of  one  whose  degrada 
tion  you  have  sought  and  shared. 

DUCHESS 

Perhaps,  but  you  must  remember  that  I 
am  the  sister  of  the  Queen  and  can  impose 
1 08 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

obedience   to   the   most   insolent   favours   I 

choose  to  demand. 

[A  loud  knock  from  the  door  leading  into 
the  conservatory.  GWYMPLANE  starts  to 
wards  the  door.  The  DUCHESS  holds  him 
back.] 

Truly  an  eventful  hour,    [she  raises  her  voice] 
Ah,  what  now? 

VOICE  OF  THE  QUEEN 
I  heard  you  were  so  indisposed  you  could 
not  come  to  me  even  upon  the  most  urgent 
matter. 

[The  DUCHESS  signifies  with  a  gesture 
of  fury  that  she  is  aware  of  being  fatally 
played  against.  In  the  meantime  the 
QUEEN  is  putting  her  own  key  into  the 
lock.  JOSEPHINE  turns  with  supplication 
to  GWYMPLANE,  at  length  too  afflicted  by 
the  situation  to  guard  her  poise.] 

DUCHESS 

You  would  not  talk  like  a  clown.    Be 

I  know  you — a  gentleman.     Save  me!    Save 
us! 

[She  points  to  a  door.] 

In  there — a  blind  closet.    Do  not  attempt 
to  escape  or  we  shall  hear  you. 
109 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

GWYMPLANE 

[Bowing  low  and  casting  an  ironic  eye 
upon  the  panic  of  the  DUCHESS.] 

There  is  at  least  a  peculiar  variety  in  your 
demands,  Madame 

[The  door  barely  closes  upon  him  as  the 
QUEEN  enters  continuing  her  speech.} 

QUEEN 

Consequently,  if  you  are  too  ill  to  attend 
the  Queen,  it  is  but  human  for  the  Queen  to 
await  anxiously  upon  you.  But,  my  dear — 

[The  DUCHESS  is  biting  her  lip  with 
ill-concealed  rage.] 

You  do  not  look  ill — you  look  angry.    Have 
there  been  disturbing  things? 

[She  plucks  the  curtain  aside,  and  lets 
it  drop,  but  continues  looking  about  her 
with  assumed  carelessness.] 

DUCHESS 

Nothing  more  disturbing  than  being  con 
tinually  interrupted — I  do  not  speak  of  your 
Majesty's  visit — when  I  wished  to  remain 
undisturbed. 

no 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

QUEEN 

How  annoying  to  have  one's  solitary  rev 
eries  continually  scattered  by  people  ham 
mering  at  the  door.  What  did  they  all  want? 
Who  were  they? 

DUCHESS 
There  was  Charles. 

QUEEN 
And  after  that  ? 

DUCHESS 

O,  various  people  asking  ridiculous  ques 
tions. 

[She  plucks  a  large  bit  of  heliotrope  from 
the  bowl  and  bites  it  rather  vengefully.] 

But,  my  sister,  do  confide  in  me  the  august 
matter  that  can  necessitate  your  being  abroad 
at  such  an  unearthly  hour. 

QUEEN 

There  is  no  one  that  can  overhear  us  ?  You 
have  dismissed  your  servants? 

DUCHESS 

O,  hours  ago.    [rather  insolently]    You  may 
feel  quite  at  your  ease  with  me. 
in 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

QUEEN 

You  will  forgive  my  poking  about,  Jose 
phine?  But  you  are  so  vague — all  artistic 
and  beautiful  natures  are  vague — you  might 
easily  have  forgotten  that  Piccolo  is  hanging 
about  somewhere  waiting  to  carry  a  last  good 
night  word  to  your  impatient  bridegroom. 
Why,  there  is  a  strange  girl  sitting  at  this 
very  moment  in  your  conservatory.  Her  face 
was  somehow  familiar. 

DUCHESS  [commencing  to  be  rather  distracted] 

Ah,  yes,  a  late  hamper  of  my  wedding 
clothes.  The  girl  awaits  for  me  to  repay  her 
pains  for  coming.  But,  indeed,  your  Majesty, 
I  would  be  flattered  if  you  would  accept  my 
word  that  we  are  alone  here. 

QUEEN 

Dear  child,  naturally,  I  accept  your  con 
viction  that  there  is  no  one  about,  but  I  do 
not  trust  your  memory.  I  admire  too  much 
the  artist  in  you  for  that.  Ah!  Do  I  hear 
someone  scratching  apologetically  upon  the 
window?  [smiling]  Really,  no  wonder  your 
sense  of  privacy  is  outraged  tonight. 

DUCHESS 
Who  now? 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

PRINCE  [in  a  slightly  frantic  voice] 

I,  Josephine.  Did  anyone  pass  in  by  this 
window  a  few  minutes  ago? 

DUCHESS 

[Looking  at  the  QUEEN,  whose  ironic 
countenance  struggles  with  real  emotion.] 

Who  should?  You  perceive  the  curtains 
are  drawn. 

PRINCE 

A  girl — one  of  the  troupe  of  mountebanks 
— a  blind  girl.  Phedro  brought  her  in  with  a 
most  important  letter  for  the  Queen.  He  left 
her  a  moment,  returned,  and  she  was  gone. 
He  hesitated  to  disturb  you  at  this  late  hour ; 
so  I  told  him  I  would  come  myself  and  ask. 

QUEEN   [suddenly  speaking  in  a  tone  of  relief  \ 

Ah,  with  a  note  for  me.  Is  it  only  that? 
For  Heaven's  sake,  don't  go  on  talking 
through  a  closed  window,  Charles.  It  gives 
such  an  air  of  tension  to  everything.  Jose 
phine,  open  the  window  to  Charles. 

[Josephine  obeys.] 

PRINCE 

[Stepping  into  the  room  so  befogged  with 

8  113 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

his  own  agitation  as  to  have  no  room  left 
for  astonishment  at  the  presence  of  the 
QUEEN.] 

Josephine,  your  Majesty,  are  you  quite 
sure 

DUCHESS 

My  dear  Charles,  do  you  think  I  am  in  the 
habit  of  not  noticing  the  intrusion  of  perfectly 
strange  women  into  my  apartment  at  night? 

PRINCE 
Then  you  saw  no  one  ? 

[DUCHESS  smiles  enigmatically.] 

QUEEN  [addressing  the  PRINCE] 

Why  are  you  so  anxious  that  this  message 
from  the  blind  girl  is  delayed?  Or  are  you 
just  naturally  upset  about  everything  to 
night,  being  so  near  the  altar? 

DUCHESS 

Ah,  yes,  so  near  the  altar.  Tell  me  how 
have  you  spent  these  last  free  hours,  Charles  ? 

QUEEN 

I  hope  you  have  spent  them  romantically, 
fingering  a  lute  or  something. 
114 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

DUCHESS 

Fingering  something — was  it  a  lute, 
Charles  ? 

[CHARLES  glances  at  the  DUCHESS  in 
alarm.  The  QUEEN  intercepts  the  look  and 
grows  a  little  uneasy  herself.] 

QUEEN 

You  seem  to  be  throwing  dirt  at  one  an 
other  out  of  a  bonbonniere.  I  have  a  feeling 
I  should  extremely  dislike  to  hear  you  actu 
ally  explain  yourselves.  I  wonder  where 
Phedro  is.  He  has  hinted  to  me  of  extraor 
dinary  news  for  tonight,  [she  opens  the  win 
dow  and  looks  out]  And  now  it  is  almost 
dawn. 

[She  calls  PHEDRO,  and  opens  the  door 

through  which  she  has  entered  the  room, 

catting  PHEDRO.] 

VOICE  OF  PHEDRO 
Majesty,  I  come. 

[He  enters.  The  DUCHESS  gives  him  a 
fearful  look,  which  he  returns  with  a  grim 
smile.] 

QUEEN 

You  promised  significant  news  for  me  after 
"5 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

midnight  and  in  the  apartment  of  the 
Duchess.  I  have  come.  It  is  long  beyond 
midnight.  What  have  you  to  say? 

PHEDRO 
We  are  strictly  in  private,  your  Majesty? 

QUEEN 

Assure  yourself.  I  had  some  feeling  about 
it  myself  a  few  minutes  ago. 

[PHEDRO  steps  at  once  to  the  door  where 
the  mountebank  is  concealed,  but  the 
DUCHESS  with  a  haughty  look  actually 
forestalls  him,  opening  the  door  herself. 
GWYMPLANE  steps  into  the  room.  The 
QUEEN  pretends  to  be  speechless.  The 
PRINCE  is.] 

[stiffly]  Your  Grace,  the  Duchess  of  Beau 
mont  will  please  explain. 

DUCHESS 

Oh,  this  mountebank  was  merely  seeking 
the  blind  girl  from  his  troupe,  who  had  been 
admitted,  or  possibly  abducted,  into  the 
palace. 

QUEEN 

Abducted,  really  ?    By  whom  ?    For  whom  ? 
116 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

DUCHESS  [with  a  glance  at  CHARLES] 
We  do  not  know,  but  we  guess  possibly. 

[At  the  word  "abducted"  GWYMPLANE 
steps  menacingly  up  to  the  PRINCE.  The 
QUEEN  catches  the  look  of  hauteur  and 
hatred  that  is  exchanged  between  them. 
She  hastily  discovers  some  growing  dis 
comfort  from  which  she  slides  away  in  her 
usual  fashion  by  pursuing  another  chan 
nel  of  thought.] 

QUEEN 

Nevertheless,  why  does  he  seek  his  partner 
in  your  Grace's  closet? 

PRINCE 
Josephine,  good  God — what  are  you? 

DUCHESS 

What  you  are  or  would  be,  Charles — a  star 
of  the  nobility,  shedding  its  single  glory  for 
the  last  time 

QUEEN 

Come,  come,  cease  your  language.     Why 
was  this  mountebank  in  your  Grace's  closet? 
117 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

DUCHESS 

He  flew  to  the  nearest  door  in  the  opposite 
direction  from  whence  came  your  Majesty's 
voice.  I  suppose  he  lost  his  head  in  his 
embarrassment.  That  is  a  quality  of  the 
lower  classes. 

QUEEN 

Your  answers  are  tedious  evasions.  They 
explain  nothing  save  what  you  wish  to  con 
ceal — your  dishonour,  [she  turns  to  GWYM- 
PLANE]  Mountebank,  I  think  you  have 
ruined  and  frustrated  the  life  of  a  most  im 
portant  personage  in  our  court. 

PHEDRO 

Hold,  hold.  A  bat  has  not  torn  a  lily  as 
you  suppose,  your  Majesty. 

QUEEN 

No?  Then  what  has  happened,  Phedro? 
And  do  drop  your  metaphor.  We  are  not 
wise  enough  so  late  to  do  it  justice. 

PHEDRO 

Two  stars  have  blundered  together,  that 
is  all.    Her  Grace  the  Duchess  of  Beaumont 
and  His  Highness  Prince  Ian  of  Vaucluse. 
118 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

PRINCE 

My  brother?  Here?  But  my  brother  is 
dead !  Where  can  you  have  imagined  to  have 
seen  my  brother? 

PHEDRO 

[Approaches  GWYMPLANE  making  him 
a  low  bow.] 

Prince  Ian  of  Vaucluse. 

[GWYMPLANE,  as  if  he  saw  madness, 
loses  the  nervous  control  of  his  features  by 
which  he  can  efface  his  terrible  grin,  and 
his  face  grows  convulsed  with  it.} 

QUEEN  [regarding  him  and  laughing  shrilly] 

Here  is  some  monstrous  joke  devised  by 
Phedro.  Why,  Josephine,  if  this  were  true, 
then  he — the  clown — would  be  your  fiance, 
nor  have  a  right  to  reject  you,  since  sharing 
in  your  rather  disreputable  offence.  Ah, 
what  folly!  [she  places  her  hand  upon  her 
heart,  gazing  at  PRINCE  CHARLES]  But  how 
I  would  like  to  credit  the  wildest  phantasy 
tonight. 

[The  DUCHESS  is  looking  on  disdain 
fully  as  if  witnessing  rather  a  boring  farce.] 
119 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

PHEDRO  [looking  intensely  at  the  QUEEN] 

When  the  thing  that  we  have  longed  for 
comes  true,  it  may  sound  like  madness.  I 
have  every  credential  to  prove  my  extraor 
dinary  announcement. 

QUEEN 

[Looking  whimsically  from  one  to  an 
other.] 

Ah,  let  us  suppose  for  a  moment,  Josephine, 
that  this  were  true.  Surely  you  would  be 
happy  in  a  marriage  so  fortified  by  natural 
selection,  and,  as  for  Charles — the  loss  of 
certain  things  might  be  replaced  by  others. 

[She  gazes  at  him  tenderly.] 

DUCHESS 

[In  a  sudden  outburst  of  confusion  and 
ennui.] 

We  are  all  gone  mad.  I  feel  as  if  we  were 
in  a  web.  I  marry  with  a  clown — the  clown 
a  lord — the  lord  a  deformity.  [She  shudders] 

GWYMPLANE 

O,  I  cannot  stand  this  hellish  whirl  another 
1 20 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

instant.    It  is  biting  my  ankles  off  and  blind 
ing  my  eyes  in  a  red  sting  of  madness. 

[He  attempts  to  throw  open  the  door. 
PHEDRO  swiftly  forestalls  him  with  wide 
spread  arms  and  a  grim  expression; 
GWYMPLANE  turns  away  bowed  from  his 
ferocity  of  pain  and  bewilderment,  while 
PHEDRO,  with  an  incredible,  greased  swift 
ness,  lets  himself  out  the  door,  and  returns 
almost  upon  the  instant  with  DBA  terrified, 
supported  on  his  arm.] 

PHEDRO  [turning  suavely  to  DBA] 

My    dear    young    lady,    calm    yourself. 
Where  is  the  letter? 

[DEA  takes  it  from  her  breast.  GWYM 
PLANE  looks  at  the  letter  in  agonized 
amazement.] 

DEA 
You  said  I  was  to  give  it  to  the  Queen. 

PHEDRO 
You  are  in  the  presence  of  her  Majesty. 

[DEA  makes  a  low  curtsey,  and  holds 
out  the  letter.     The  QUEEN  takes  it  from 
her  with  a  strange,  stiff  gesture.] 
121 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

Your  Majesty,  this  is  the  missive  sealing 
officially  my  tale. 

QUEEN 

[Reads  the  letter,  her  face  played  upon 
by  expressions  varying  from  incredulity 
to  ironic  joy.  Turning  to  PHEDRO.] 

There  is  no  doubt  about  this  ? 

PHEDRO  \turning  a  page] 
You  note  your  Chancellor's  signature. 

QUEEN 

[Finishes  the  letter  and  stands  looking 
intently  ahead  of  her.  She  suddenly  speaks 
in  a  rather  strange  voice.] 

I  hate  to  be  trite,  but  my  inner  laughter 
is  far  too  loud  to  be  tamed  into  wit;  so  I 
think  I  must  use  the  stock  phrase,  and  ob 
serve  that  truth  is  never  so  tedious  as  fiction. 
[she  passes  her  hand  over  her  brow]  Come, 
clown,  you  may  go,  or  rather  my  lord,  you 
have  my  earnest  leave  to  exchange  our  pres 
ence  for  the  open  air,  while  we  sit  in  judgment 
over  these  discoveries.  You  may  take  the 
young  lady  with  you,  who  apparently  cannot 
122 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

see  [with  a  bitter  look  at  CHARLES]  the  interest 
she  evokes. 

[GWYMPLANE  drags  DEA  out  half  faint 
ing,  but  turns  in  the  door,  facing  them  all.] 

GWYMPLANE 

Take  care.  It  is  dangerous  to  be  marion 
ettes  too  long — even  now  your  limbs  may  be 
turning  into  sawdust. 

[They  exit  without  paying  the  QUEEN 
respect.] 

QUEEN 

[Turning  to  PRINCE  CHARLES  and  then 
to  the  DUCHESS.] 

How  very  uncomfortable  he  will  make  the 
House  of  Lords.  Artists  are  terrible  people, 
especially  when  they  get  out  of  their  metier, 
and  even  if  they  were  born  gentlemen,  [she 
takes  a  hand  of  the  DUCHESS  and  of  CHARLES] 
I  request  you  both  to  be  in  my  cabinet 
tomorrow  morning  as  early  as  you  can  man 
age  to  rouse  yourselves  after  this  rather  full 
evening,  and  we  shall  see  what  it  is  fair  to 
do  in  love  [she  glances  softly  and  rather  whim 
sically  at  the  PRINCE]  and  war.  [looking  fixedly 
at  JOSEPHINE] 

[She  throws  both  their  hands  away  from 
123 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

her  as  if  they  had  siting  her.  An  equerry 
opens  the  door,  and  she  exits  abruptly.] 
PRINCE  and  the  DUCHESS  [bowing  low  to 
her  departing  back  and  murmuring] : 

Your  Majesty  is  obeyed. 


CURTAIN 


124 


SCENE  2 

[It  is  night  upon  the  deck  of  a  small 
schooner,  whose  sails  are  outlined  against 
leaden  streaks,  commencing  to  herald  the 
dawn. 

DBA  lies  extended  upon  a  low  couch, 
beside  the  chair  of  URSUS.  In  the  dim 
light  her  form  possesses  the  eternal  majesty 
of  sculpture.  From  afar  the  voices  of  sailors 
chanting  some  sad  litany  of  the  sea. 
URSUS  leans  back  in  his  chair,  looking  up 
into  the  face  of  departing  night.  GWYM- 
PLANE  paces  in  and  out,  anguished  with 
unrest.] 

URSUS  [to  GWYMPLANE,  who  hardly  heeds  him] 

Nothing  follows  us.  It  never  occurred  to 
them  that  a  man  should  want  to  escape  good 
fortune.  They  never  think  to  bolt  the  door 
when  they  have  gilded  the  walls.  O,  how 
profitably  one  can  surprise  these  people  who 
think  the  entire  world  reflects  their  contem 
plation  of  self. 

125 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

GWYMPLANE 

[Who  has  not  heard  the  preceding 
speech  at  all,  comes  in,  halting  abruptly.] 

Life,  life.  It  has  suddenly  burst  its  leash — 
torn  in  among  us  like  a  mad  dog  and  wounded 
us,  mortally,  I  think,  [glances  at  DEA]  O, 
the  pain,  the  tragedy  that  can  come  out  of 
nonsense.  Will  Dea  live,  can  Dea  live? 

URSUS  [sighing  heavily] 

Perhaps,  perhaps.  How  quiet  and  smiling 
she  looks.  There  is  some  great  pathos  about 
her  peacefulness  as  if  Heaven  were  restoring 
to  her  something  cruelly  lost  in  this  world. 

GWYMPLANE 

[Walking  over  to  her  couch  and  wringing 
his  hands.] 

My  love,  my  little  love. 

[URSUS  rising  and  soothing  his  agonized 
posture  with  a  gentle  hand,  which  GWYM 
PLANE  shakes  off.] 

GWYMPLANE 

Oh,  there  seems  no  corner  in  myself  into 
which  I  can  creep,  pull  down  the  blinds,  and 
shut  out  those  horrible,  jeering,  grotesque, 
126 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

indecent  processionals  that  I  joined  and  made 
last  night. 

URSUS 

My  poor  son !  You  threw  your  body  to  the 
jackals  for  an  hour.  You  forgot  there  was 
a  soul  in  your  body  to  get  mangled  along 
with  the  rest. 

GWYMPLANE 

Oh,  my  soul  was  not  in  all  that. 

URSUS 

Most  people  perish  from  thinking  like  you. 
[earnestly]  Somewhere  in  you  is  a  blinding, 
transfigured  face,  struggling  up  out  of  the 
sprawled,  coiling  limbs  of  infinite  pasts,  yet 
put  it  in  certain  conditions  and  it  retains  its 
fearful  stamp  of  former  bestiality.  But  during 
death,  death  the  last  condition  we  follow, 
what  a  likeness  unto  God  appears  upon  the 
features  of  the  worst  of  us. 

GWYMPLANE  [who  is  too  tortured  to  hear] 

Oh,  how  can  1  ever  again  catch  at  her  lovely 

virginal  hands  ?    [he  lifts  one  very  gently]    Her 

hands  have  the  sudden  beauty  and  strange 

fragrance  of  flowers  that  bloom  among  shad- 

127 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

ows.  How  can  I  ever  press  my  lips  against 
them  again  without  bruising  their  dear  shy 
softness  by  this  weight  of  unworthiness  I 
carry  within  me? 

URSUS 
Only  through  hope. 

GWYMPLANE 

Hope  is  for  people  who  have  not  such  keen 
noses  as  I.  I  can  smell  the  decay  in  myself 
far  too  well  to  go  near  the  person  I  love  with 
it.  Only  to  sleep,  to  sleep,  and  not  have  to 
make  my  way  any  more,  through  these  bit 
ing,  malicious,  stifling  memories.  How  can  a 
man's  soul  exist  after  he  knows  what  sodden 
morasses  the  body  can  clamp  him  into! 

URSUS 

Stumbling  may  teach  a  man  to  hold  his 
lantern  nearer  the  ground. 

GWYMPLANE 

My  arms  are  broken.  They  cannot  hold 
anything  except  despair. 

DEA  [stirring  faintly] 

[URSUS  is  immediately  at  her  side  and 
128 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

benas  over  her.    GWYMPLANE  stands  look 
ing  down  over  the  back  of  her  couch.] 

How  fast  we  are  going!  What  are  we  on 
that  is  moving  so  swiftly? 

URSUS 

We  are  sailing  away,  Dea,  you,  Gwym- 
plane,  and  I,  toward  happiness  and  safety. 

DEA 
I  have  always  been  happy,  until 

[She  puts  her  hand  on  her  heart.    GWYM 
PLANE  winces.] 

URSUS  [speaking  gently] 

Let  me  put  my  hand  across  your  forehead 
and  smooth  you  back  into  dreams  as  I  used 
to  when  you  were  a  child.  That  will  be  best. 

DEA 

I  wonder,  have  I  not  passed  what  is  best. 
You  say  that  I  am  on  a  boat,  but  it  seems  to 
me  I  am  going  somewhere  by  myself,  swiftly, 
eagerly,  and  that  I  am  carrying  my  love  for 
Gwymplane  like  a  sheaf  of  lilies  under  my 
arm. 

[GWYMPLANE   bends   over,   whispering 

9  129 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

her  name  out  of  the  bursting  anguish  of 
his  heart.] 

Gwymplane,  I  feel  your  breath  across  my 
cheek.  I  feel  your  tears  upon  my  face.  Oh, 
why  are  you  crying? 

GWYMPLANE 

My  love,  my  dear  love,  there  is  too  much 
beauty  about  you.  You  are  an  answer  to 
the  last  wish  of  a  man's  heart  that  blows  him 
over  the  gates  of  Paradise.  Anyone  would 
weep  if  the  face  of  God  were  to  shine  out 
suddenly  through  their  prayers. 

DEA 

Oh,  I  understand  all  that.  I  have  felt  that 
so  often  about  you. 

[She  puts  her  hand  tenderly  on  his. 
Suddenly  she  raises  herself  on  her  elbow.} 

Gwymplane!  Ursus!  I  think — I  think  I 
am  about  to  see!  There  are  bright  stretches 
of  colour  beginning  behind  my  eyes. 

[She  lifts  herself  into  a  sitting  position, 
stretching  out  her  arms.  There  is  a  long 
pause.] 

O,  I  do  see,  I  see! 

130 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

[She  is  looking  up  into  the  sky,  which 
is  becoming  radiant  with  streaks  of  dawn.] 

I  see  a  million  pale  ribbons  fluttering 
through  grey  vapour.  They  are  widening  into 
rivers  of  colour,  into  vast  dazzling  spaces  and 
some  divine  form  is  shining  through  now  and 
sweeping  all  the  darkness  away  off  the  world, 
with  his  golden  wings. 

GWYMPLANE  [turning  ecstatically  to  URSUS] 
I  believe  she  sees. 

[He  suddenly  cringes  away  from  her,  and 
speaks  in  a  whisper  to  URSUS.] 

Maybe  she  will  see  me  at  last. 

URSUS 
She  sees  the  sky  of  heaven. 

[DEA  drops  back  upon  GWYMPLANE'S 
arm.] 

GWYMPLANE  [with  anguished  apprehension] 

Oh,  darling,  do  you  still  see?  Do  not  stop 
speaking.  Tell  me  more. 

DEA 
I  cannot  wait,  I  think,  any  longer. 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

GWYM  PLANE 

My  love,  then,  if  you  are  going  before  me, 
[a  strange  look  passes  over  his  face — he  straight 
ens  himself]  just  a  little  before  me,  will  you 
let  fall  some  bright  flowers  from  your 
breast  that  will  make  a  track  of  light  for  me 
to  follow  in,  so  that  we  may  perhaps  waken 
together?  O,  love,  how  remote  your  beautiful 
face  is  becoming.  Do  you  even  hear  me,  I 
wonder. 

DEA  [very  low] 

I  do  hear.  Gwymplane,  come  nearer. 
That  night  I  tried  to  understand,  but  I 
thought  with  so  much  pain  that  I  could  not 
seem  to  understand.  Now  the  pain  is  gone 
out  of  any  thought  and  I  understand  now 
how  little  cause  there  was  for  pain. 

GWYMPLANE 
Beloved. 

DEA 

I  know  I  am  your  beloved.    Hold  me  close. 
[He  wraps  her  frantically  in  his  arms.] 

I  want  the  blessing  of  your  arms  to  be  the 
last  thing  in  my  life. 

[Suddenly  a  look  of  recognition  and  joy 
132 


GLAIR  DE  LUNE 

floods  her  face,  and  her  eyes  seem  to  follow 
some  divine  approach.    She  murmurs]: 

How  beautiful !     How  right ! 

[And  fluttering  in  GWYMPLANE'S  arms 
she  is  dead.  He  lays  her  gently  back,  lifts 
one  of  her  hands,  kisses  it,  looks  at  her  as 
if  the  last  agony  had  been  drawn  out  of 
his  soul,  then  passes  his  hand  across  his 
brow,  tries  to  speak,  and  after  a  long  pause:] 

GWYMPLANE 

It  appears  we  have  made  good  our  escape. 

URSUS  [raising  his  head  from  his  arms] 
The  tide  is  with  us. 

GWYMPLANE 

We  are  bound — where  ? 

URSUS 
Westward. 

GWYMPLANE  [with  tenderness] 

Dear  Ursus,  you  were  leaving  your  country 
and  going  to  face  old  age  among  customs, 
languages,  peoples,  strange  to  you,  and  to 
save  us  from  the  talons  of  a  pack  of  cards. 

133 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

URSUS 
You  and  I  are  going  now,  Gwymplane. 

GWYMPLANE 

I  think  I  have  no  more  knack  for  wearing 
costumes  and  masks,  and  I  could  not  ask 
human  beings  to  accept  me  as  I  am,  either 
inside  or  out.  Any  reality  is  like  a  row  of 
knives  and  each  minute  drags  me  backward 
and  forward  across  them. 

[He  seems  to  commune  upon  and  decide 
something  within  himself.  His  voice 
breaks  clearly  over  a  long  pause.] 

Good-night,  Ursus,  I  am  going  up  into  the 
prow  to  seek  some  fresher  air. 

[URSUS  sits  with  his  head  on  his  arms, 
which  are  resting  on  DEA'S  coverlet.  There 
is  a  faint  shrill  of  sighing  wind,  with  the 
voices  of  the  sailors  rising  beneath  it,  and 
the  ascending  sun  commences  to  throw  red 
bars  across  the  water. 

Suddenly  the  singing  voices  cease  abrupt 
ly  and  a  sailor  hurries  in.} 

SAILOR 

Sir,  sir,  a  man  has  fallen  into  the  sea! 
134 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

URSUS 

[Starting  out  of  his  lethargy  and  speak 
ing  in  a  strange,  numb  voice.] 

Then  put  the  ship  about.    We  return. 

SAILOR 

Shall  we  not  lower  boats  and  make  search 
for  this  man — [he  shudders  and  crosses  him- 
selj]  for  this  man  who  has  fallen  into  the  sea? 

URSUS  [half  to  himself] 

Let  a  man  rest  where  he  has  gone  by  his 
own  will. 

CURTAIN 


135 


SCENE  3 

[An  antechamber   communicating  with 
the  QUEEN'S  bedroom.} 

IST  COURTIER 
The  air  is  very  heavy  this  morning. 

20  COURTIER 

It  is  as  if  the  clouds  had  dropped  down  out 
of  the  sky,  entered  into  this  palace,  and 
turned  into  leaden  wheels,  running  over  one, 
no  matter  where  one  hides. 

30  COURTIER 

You  are  lucky  to  be  able  to  talk.  I  am  too 
depressed  even  to  breathe. 

IST  COURTIER 

I  am  terribly  depressed, — but  I  am  still 
curious.  What  do  you  suppose  it  is  all  about  ? 

20  COURTIER 

It  is  all  about  passions.  There  have  been 
several  conflicting  kinds  rushing  through  the 

136 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

atmosphere  lately.    Naturally  the  sea  is  a  bit 
choppy  for  our  painted  sort  of  barks. 

[He  nods  about  him  rather  contemptu 
ously.] 

30  COURTIER 

You  can  at  least  talk  no  matter  what 
happens. 

IST  COURTIER 

.     Well,  we  don't  seem  any  nearer  knowing 
the  truth. 

[Enter  two  ladies  in  a  state  of  great 
excitement.} 

IST  LADY 

What  could  you  have  possibly  expected? 
I  suppose  the  marriage  is  off.  Josephine 
could  never  be  interested  in  anything,  and 
as  for  the  Prince 

20  LADY 

His  self-interest  would  push  anything  else 
out  of  him. 

IST  LADY 

Of  course,  if  it  is  off,  Josephine  must  have 
made  him  appear  unbecoming  and  she  prob- 

137 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

ably  brought  all  the  candles  in  the  palace  to 
help  illuminate  Josephine's  mistake.  Phew! 
they  are  all  quite  dreadful. 

IST  COURTIER 

Sh!  It  is  unwise  to  be  so  indiscreet,  even 
in  a  crisis.  Remember,  we  have  to  face  each 
other,  and  all  of  these  others  every  day  for 
years.  Perhaps  the  memory  of  your  candour 
will  make  you  feel  a  little  ridiculous  later. 

[Hand  bell  tinkles.] 

IST  LADY 
The  Queen's  bell. 

[She  goes  to  a  door  on  right  and  timidly 
knocks.] 

THE  QUEEN'S  VOICE  [of  stage] 
Is  the  Duchess  attending  me  yet? 

IST  LADY 

No,  Majesty. 

QUEEN 

Have  me  informed  immediately  upon  her 
arrival.  Until  then,  I  wish  you  would  discuss 
your  absorbing  trifles  in  a  lower  tone.  My 

138 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

room  is  exactly  like  a  sounding  board  for 
your  idle  conversation.  However,  I  tell  you 
all  this  with  a  recurring  regularity  that  none 
of  the  rest  of  my  life  seems  to  possess. 

IST  LADY 

Your  Majesty  is  obeyed,  and  our  most 
humble  apologies  to  your  Majesty. 

[She  closes  the  door  softly.] 

QUEEN 

You  haven't  shut  the  door.  You  haven't 
shut  it  tight.  Oh,  for  Heaven's  sake,  slam  it ! 

[The  court  lady  bangs  the  door  with 
discretion.] 

IST  COURTIER  [whispering] 

What  a  humour  she  is  in !  What  a  woman 
of  moods ! 

2D  COURTIER 

She  is  illusive.  She  is  like  a  succession  of 
masks,  seen  at  dawn.  In  her  there  always 
appears  a  terrible  wanness,  right  upon  the 
heels  of  a  wonderful  freshness. 

30  COURTIER 

I  don't  wish  to  seem  unpleasant,  but  I 
139 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

wonder  if  you  could  talk  a  little  less  or  say 
something. 

2D  COURTIER  [regarding  him  witheringly] 

I  should  advise  you  to  go  off  by  yourself 
and  drink  somefleur  d'oranger  and  bathe  your 
temples  in  eau  de  cologne.  Isolation  is  the 
only  resolution  for  such  ill-humour. 

IST  LADY 

Wasn't  the  Duchess  radiant  last  night? 
If  the  marriage  is  not  off  I  hear  she  will  give 
a  dance,  a  very  small  one,  to  celebrate  the 
first  month  of  her  marriage. 

[Suddenly  she  looks  rather  uncomfort 
able.] 

2D  LADY 

Ah,  you  are  wondering,  shall  we  be  invited, 
considering  we  are  the  Queen's  favourite 
ladies? 

IST  COURTIER 

If  everything  is  all  right,  when  the  Duchess 
comes  let  us  think  of  something  especially 
charming  to  say  to  her.  Something  that  will 
hint,  without  asserting,  our  warmer  attach 
ment,  [both  ladies  nod  their  approval]  Sh! 
Here's  Phedro. 

140 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

PHEDRO 

[Enters,  looking  for  the  first  time  dur 
ing  the  play  as  if  a  ghost  had  sucked  his 
blood.] 

Is  the  Queen  up? 

IST  COURTIER 

She  is  awake,  but  wishes  to  remain  undis 
turbed  until  the  Duchess  arrives. 

PHEDRO 

Ah,  then  I  shall  go  and  polish  my  bullet 
a  little  more  officially. 

[They  all  stare  at  him  in  amazement.] 

But  has  not  her  Grace  been  tearing  the 
Queen's  curtains  back  at  dawn? 

IST  LADY 

No,  why  should  she  be?    What  has  hap 
pened  ? 

[They  all  crowd  around  him.] 

A  LADY 

The   air   seems    sizzling    with    lightning. 
Tell  us,  has  the  Queen  done  her  some  rude 
ness  again  ?   We  were  just  saying  how  charm- 
Hi 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

ing  she  was  and  thinking  of  how  to  express 
our  admiration  to  her  on  her  arrival. 

PHEDRO 

Don't  disturb  your  vocabulary  for  the  sake 
of  the  Duchess. 

LADIES  AND  COURTIERS  [in  one  voice] 
Why,  what  has  happened? 

PHEDRO 
The  Duchess  does  not  exist  any  longer. 

A  COURTIER 

She  is  dead? 

20  COURTIER 

Artemis  has  risen  to  hunt,  but  in  heaven — 

30  COURTIER 

Good  God!  [he  gradually  recovers  himself] 
What  a  shame  the  classics  are  taught.  It 
lends  a  pulpit  to  such  tedious  people. 

A  LADY 

Oh,  we  must  know,  if  we  are  to  live.    What 
has  happened  to  the  Duchess? 
142 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

PHEDRO  [grimly — with  finality] 
She  has  become  declassee. 

[Everybody  grows  gradually  stupefied.] 

A  LADY  [only  partially  recovering] 

You  mean  that  she  left  the  door  open  ?    Or 
mislaid  one  of  her  ^'ewels  somewhere? 

OTHER  LADY  [just  able  to  murmur] 

You  would  suggest  that  she  permitted  her 
self  to  be — discovered? 

PHEDRO 

Yes,  her  apartment  was  honeycombed  with 
indiscretions. 

IST  COURTIER  [sharply] 

But  what  did  that  matter?    Who  plucked 
them  out  ? 

PHEDRO 

The  Queen 

30  COURTIER 

What  an  appalling  mischance' 
H3 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

A  LADY 

It  is  an  outrage!  People  who  are  lazy 
enough  to  be  found  out  are  a  menace  to  all 
of  us. 

3D  COURTIER 

A  gentleman  will  hardly  know  where  he  is 
safe  when  the  Duchess  of  Beaumont  can 
allow  such  an  occurrence. 

PHEDRO 

I  am  afraid  I  must  make  my  exit  from  this 
troubled  surface  and  scrutinize  more  silent 
things.  [Pause.  Half  to  himself]  I  wonder 
how  a  man  looks  who  has  slept  well  among 
the  touch  and  glide  of  fishes. 

A  LADY 

What  sort  of  horrible,  wriggly  thing  are 
you  saying,  Phedro? 

PHEDRO 

I  am  tasting  my  own  cooking.  It  is  de 
licious.  However,  enough  public  reverie. 
When  the  Duchess  comes,  announce  her  to 
the  Queen  in  whatever  manner  fits  your 
inclination.  Take  a  good  breath  of  bad  man 
ners.  It  will  refresh  you  all.  [he  glances  at 
144 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

hts  watch]    Ah,  I  shall  be  late  for  a  certain 
melancholy  addition  of  facts. 

LADIES 
What  facts? 


You  shall  see. 
prologue. 

[He  exits,  almost  bumping  into  the 
DUCHESS,  who  sweeps  by  him  into  the 
room.  The  courtiers  stand  about  perfectly 
limp,  enjoying  their  indifference.] 

DUCHESS 

I    am    present.      [half   turning]      Kindly 
acquaint  her  Majesty  with  that  fact. 

A  LADY 

[Starts  to  courtesy,  but  suddenly  remem 
bers  that  she  doesn't  have  to.] 

Very  well,  you  can  wait  here. 

[The  DUCHESS  looks  at  her  with  incredu 
lous  amazement.  Suddenly  the  voice  of 
the  QUEEN  is  heard.] 

QUEEN 
Is  that  the  Duchess? 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

THE  LADY 
It  is,  your  Majesty. 

QUEEN 

Tell  her  to  wait  where  she  is.  I  shall  be 
with  her  presently.  Meanwhile  you  may 
disperse  without  formalities. 

LADY 

Your  Majesty  is  obeyed. 

[She  comes  back  into  the  room  and 
together  with  all  the  rest  gazes  insolently 
at  the  DUCHESS  as  they  file  out.  The 
DUCHESS  stands,  staring  frigidly  ahead 
of  her  and  looking  supremely  beautiful.} 

DUCHESS  [clenching  her  hands  slightly] 

Fools!  They  would  look  better  without 
their  heads. 

[Enter  the  QUEEN,  looking  extremely 
pale  and  serious,  evidently  on  the  verge  of 
some  personal  climax.} 

QUEEN 

My  sister. 

146 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

DUCHESS 
Your  Majesty? 

[They  bow  formally  to  one  another,  then 
remain  silent  a  little.] 

QUEEN 

O,  what  is  the  sense  of  trying  to  carry  a 
meeting  like  this  off?  I  have  been  too  as 
tonished  lately  to  hold  on  to  my  savoir  faire. 
Here  are  my  explosions  in  a  nutshell.  The 
announcement  that  the  clown  Gwymplane 
is  the  Prince  of  Vaucluse  I  am  satisfied  is 
authentic.  He  is  in  consequence  your  fiance. 

DUCHESS  [losing  her  wits  in  a  temper] 

You  must  be  mad  to  suppose  I  should 
really  marry  with  a  mountebank,  a  deformity, 
no  matter  what  he  has  been  born. 

QUEEN 

Evidently  you  forget  the  position  you  en 
joy  entails  implicit  obedience. 

[The  DUCHESS  is  about  to  break  out.] 

Please  don't  be  banal.     I  couldn't  bear  to 
hear  you  say  that  your  life  was  slavery.    Your 
life  is  merely  idiotic.     Slaves  were  sturdy, 
147 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

magnificent  people  who  understood  massage, 
and  you  look  as  if  a  powder  puff  could  blast 
you  off  the  earth. 

DUCHESS 
You  hate  me! 

QUEEN 
But  you  know  that  I  knew  you  knew  that. 

DUCHESS 

When  Charles  comes,  or  perhaps  you  don't 
permit  him  to  come — possibly  it  would  annoy 
you  to  see  the  anguish  he  will  be  in  over  me. 

QUEEN 

Vain  people  have  the  most  curious  faith 
in  the  unselfishness  of  everybody  else.  Ah, 
here  comes  the  bone  of  contention,  looking 
remarkably  bright. 

[Enter  PRINCE.  He  bends  over  the 
QUEEN'S  hand  and  gazes  up  into  her  eyes, 
speaking  with  a  new  thrill  in  his  voice.] 

PRINCE 

My  gracious  cousin,  I  hope  your  health 
matches  this  exquisite  morning. 
148 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

QUEEN  [abruptly  pointing] 

There  is  Josephine.    Give  her  some  of  your 

after-breakfast  optimism. 

% 

PRINCE 

Ah! 

[He  bows  rather  distantly  over  JOSE 
PHINE'S  hand  that  is  extended  with  unusual 
cordiality.] 

DUCHESS 

Charles,  my  dear,  don't  let  us  be  absurd. 
Last  night  was  a  fantastic  heaping  of  mis 
chance. 

PRINCE 

You  are  neat  in  phrases,  Josephine,  but 
exactly  what  do  they  mean?  And  please 
don't  sulk — only  well-loved  people  can  afford 
to  do  that. 

DUCHESS 

If  you  dare  to  presume  to  criticize  me,  I 
will 

QUEEN 

[Looks  nervously  at  PRINCE,  who  in 
terposes  quickly.] 

149 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

PRINCE 

My  dear  Josephine,  I  could  not  bear  to 
have  you  hold  me  responsible  for  these  gro 
tesque  discoveries  of  last  night.  Apparently 
he  is  my  brother,  and  it  should  have  been  me 
who  suffered  those  terrible  deformities  save 
for  the  mischievous  meddling  of  a  malicious 
servant ;  but  certainly  now  you  are  his  lawful 
bride,  and  I  have  no  other  name  than  one 
the  Queen's  mercy  can  devise. 

JOSEPHINE 

But  your  Majesty  will  do  something  for  us, 
after  all,  we  love  each  other! 

PRINCE 

[Looks  at  JOSEPHINE  over  the  edge  of 
his  buttonhole,  into  which  his  nose  becomes 
completely  submerged.} 

Do  you  love  me  this  morning,  Josephine? 

DUCHESS 
You  loved  me  last  night. 

PRINCE  [sighing] 

I  think  there  has  always  been  something 
a  little  angular  in  our  relations  and  now  that 

150 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

it  has  become  my  duty  to  relinquish  you,  I 
rather  fancy  there  is  no  harm  in  assuring  you 
it  is  also  my  pleasure. 

[A  momentary  look  of  pity  for  JOSE 
PHINE  crosses  the  QUEEN'S  countenance, 
replaced  by  an  obvious  flow  of  childish  joy.} 

QUEEN 
You  have  not  really  cared,  but 


PRINCE 

Save  for — but  it  is  so  very  early  and  bright, 
and  we  are  not  alone. 


DUCHESS 

So  sorry  to  be  in  the  way.  I  shall  hope  to 
be  dismissed  presently.  I  can  hear  you  are 
tuning  up,  Charles.  Ah,  well,  I  shall  have  a 
clown  for  a  husband.  What  more  should  a 
married  woman  wish  for?  And  plenty  of 
time  to  catch  the  roses  and  the  sighs  wafting 
up  from  my  gardens.  But  Charles,  where  is 
your  little  blind  girl? 

PRINCE 

How  should  I  know  ?  She  found  the  Queen 
and  delivered  her  note. 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

QUEEN 

How  did  you  know  she  had  a  note  to 
deliver? 

PRINCE 

I  ran  into  her  with  Phedro  coming  through 
the  garden.  He  went  to  see  if  all  was  right 
with  Josephine,  while  I 

DUCHESS 

Mingled  hands,  at  least,  for  she  said :  "He 
told  me  that  he  wanted  me  for  himself  and 
forever,  nor  was  he  the  Court  Steward,  for 
he  wore  a  great  oblong  stone  upon  his  hand." 
I  hope  she  comes  back  with  my  intended,  and 
tells  to  your  Majesty  the  story  of  Charles's 
little  lapse  into  the  romantic.  O,  listening  to 
her  one  must  believe  her,  for  she  has  all  that 
obvious  lack  of  fancy  only  to  be  found  among 
rarely  good  people.  Her  face  is  quite  open 
and  classic,  unbroken  by  the  slightest  hint  of 
imagination.  A  lie  couldn't  possibly  twist  up 
through  such  regular  lines. 

QUEEN 

[Over  her  face  has  gradually  grown  a 
singular  change.] 

Mingling  hands,  ah,  that  was  why — [she 
152 


bites  her  lip,  passing  her  hand  across  her  brow.] 
However,  to  that  later.  Josephine — [in  a 
kinder  tone]  I  have  made  you  acquainted 
with  our  disposition.  Go  now  and  prepare 
to  become  the  Duchess  of  Vaucluse. 

[JOSEPHINE    is    about    to    exit,    when 
PHEDRO  enters  hurriedly.] 

PHEDRO 
Your  Majesty. 

QUEEN 

Oh,  what  an  air  of  rush  there  is  about  every 
thing  this  morning.  Well,  speak,  speak. 

PHEDRO 

Her  Grace  cannot  become  the  Duchess  of 
Vaucluse. 

QUEEN 
Ah,  why  not? 

PHEDRO 

He  is  beyond  us. 

QUEEN 

Do  you  mean  that  he  has  sought  for  him 
self,  the  only  satisfactory  rest ! — a  sleep  with 
out  dreams.  He  is  dead! — How? 

153 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

PHEDRO 

The  philosopher  and  the  blind  girl  escaped 
with  him  at  dawn ;  long  before  sunrise  an  old, 
disused  hulk  was  seen  going  down  the  river, 
and  in  the  blaze  of  this  morning  has  returned 
with  only  the  philosopher  and  his  hired  oars 
men.  Apparently  the  blind  girl  died  from  the 
tremors  of  escape,  and  the  clown  in  his  grief 
found  nothing  left  in  himself  to  face  life  with, 
so  he  threw  his  distressed  person  into  the  sea. 

QUEEN 

So,  Josephine,  your  second  bridegroom  has 
been  seduced  away  from  you  by  Destiny. 
Charles,  your  fortune,  which  was  at  any  rate 
confiscate  to  your  brother,  now  passes  to  the 
Crown.  I  wonder  just  how  you  will  manage. 

[CHARLES  throws  her  a  tender,  confident 
look  which  she  evades.] 

But  one  thing  at  a  time.  Josephine,  what 
occurs  to  you  in  this  fitful  moment? 

DUCHESS 

Life  nauseates  me  so  at  the  moment  that 
it  is  difficult  to  imagine  any  corner  where  I 
would  not  be  too  dizzy  with  hatred  to  stand. 
If  you  will  permit  me,  I  shall  return  to  my 

154 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

rooms  to  think.  There  are  some  agreeable 
things  scattered  through  my  rooms  that  may 
possibly  inspire  direction. 

QUEEN 

Your  sensations,  Josephine,  they  have  al 
ways  been  so  much  more  acute  than  your 
emotions.  I  wonder  if  you  could  not  turn 
with  a  certain  surprising  equanimity  from 
regarding  the  marble  forms  of  your  Greeks 
to  the  Gothic  saints  of  wood  and  ivory,  then 
one  would  detect  incense  in  the  fold  of  your 
shroud  instead  of  patchouli  in  the  pleats  of 
your  cambric.  You  know,  probably  you 
could  find  in  the  distortions  of  religious  mania 
a  perfect  pendant  to  your  taste  for  deformities 
in  life. 

DUCHESS 
You  are  cruel,  and  you  are  irreverent. 

QUEEN 

Ah,  my  dear,  in  that  last  epithet  speaks 
your  extreme  desirability  for  the  vocation, 
superstition,  which  is  nothing  more  nor  less 
than  fear  of  reason,  or  possibly  a  certain 
instinct  that  the  truth  would  make  every 
thing  look  rather  second  class — if  one  is 
second  class  one's  self. 

155 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

DUCHESS 

I  suppose  it  is  not  incumbent  upon  me  to 
stand  here  in  order  that  my  character  inspire 
you  with  further  Socratic  comment. 

QUEEN 

Not  at  all,  my  dear  sister;  by  all  means 
seek  your  fauns  and  draperies  and  forgive  me 
for  prattling  on  quite  regardless  of  sowing  the 
tragic  seed — ennui. 

[At  this  juncture  it  is  only  the  intense 
refinement  of  the  DUCHESS  which  prevents 
her  from  falling  into  the  unbecoming  pos 
ture  of  powerless  invective.  PHEDRO,  who 
has  listened  to  the  foregoing,  presumes  here 
to  interrupt,] 

PHEDRO 

Your  Majesty,  have  I  your  permission  to 
retire? 

QUEEN  [turning  vaguely  toward  him] 

Certainly,  certainly,  Phedro.  It  must  be 
extremely  fatiguing  to  keep  on  hitting,  one 
after  another,  so  many  peculiar  facts. 

PHEDRO  [bowing  low] 

My  position  in  your  Majesty's  service  is 
156 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

far  too  exhilarating  to  permit  of  fatigue.  To 
breathe  is  occasionally  difficult  [his  voice 
lowers  to  something  resembling  a  hiss],  conse 
quently  to  rest  does  not  occur. 

[He  glances  about  him  as  if  at  a  group 
of  neatly  despatched  marionettes — a  glare 
of  furtive  hatred  distorting  his  features, 
which  is  hastily  veiled  by  his  usual  laconic 
humility. 

The  QUEEN  precipitates  his  departure 
with  a  wave  of  her  hand,  to  which  he  in 
stantly  submits.] 

[Exit  PHEDRO.] 

DUCHESS 

[Resuming  in  a  voice  of  excessive 
boredom] 

Well,  adieu,  Charles,  I  suppose  you  will 
go  on  alternating  between  vice  and  senti 
mentality  until  the  curtain  drops.  You 
know,  one  reason  why  you  never  attracted 
me? 

PRINCE 

Josephine,  is  this  quite  in  taste? 

DUCHESS 

Taste  is  something  one  uses  on  arranging 
one's  rooms,  not  upon  human  beings. 

157 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

QUEEN 

Well  hit,  Josephine.  You  have  at  least  the 
satisfaction  of  going  out  to  the  ringing  of  the 
bull's  eye. 

DUCHESS 
Possibly. 

[She  exits  after  courtseying  to  the  QUEEN, 
who  returns  it  in  proper  measure.  There 
is  a  silence.  PRINCE  looks  tenderly  at 
the  QUEEN,  who  moves  about  in  a  rather 
staccato  manner,  disturbing  perfectly  placed 
bibelots  and  pieces  of  furniture.} 

PRINCE 
We  are  alone  at  last. 

QUEEN 

That  word  should  sound  like  the  fold  of 
wings  around  one's  exhausted  body. 

PRINCE  [archly] 

Substitute  arms  for  wings,  and  could  for 
should,  if  I  may  be  permitted  to  correct 

QUEEN 

Oh,  Charles,  don't  woo  me  with  this  poetic 
verbosity  to  take  the  place  of  feeling.  It  is 

158 


CLAIR  DE  LVNE 

so  exactly  what  you  would  say  to  the  brewer's 
daughter,  had  you  selected  her  to  save  your 
estate  and  pay  your  bills. 

PRINCE 

Ah,  Anne,  Anne,  why  will  you  be  so  ironic? 

QUEEN 

Once  or  twice  I  thought  of  not  being  ironic, 
of  looking  into  some  person's  eyes,  and  not 
finding  that  I  had  to  look  away,  of  resting 
with  someone  in  a  long  silence  full  of  ex 
changed  beauties. 

PRINCE  [approaching  her] 
Anne,  dear,  how 

[The  QUEEN  laughs  and  backs  away 
from  him,  where  he  stands  with  his  arms 
stretched  out  towards  her.  In  her  laugh 
suddenly  there  is  a  slight  sob.] 

QUEEN 

Stand  that  way  another  instant,  Charles. 
Ah,  here  is  everything  I  have  wanted, 
schemed  for,  wept  about,  in  the  position  I 
have  dreamt  of  it.  [She  glances  out  at  the 
park.]  The  back  drop  is  perfect  also.  Birds' 

159 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

song,  the  freshness  of  morning,  sunlight, 
youth, — youth  to  be  gotten  through  some 
how.  However,  here  it  all  is,  a  dream — and 
not  turning  pale  as  all  the  others  did  in  day 
light.  Yet,  strangely  enough,  I  cannot  find 
a  self  in  me  to  come  forward  and  take  these 
things  as  they  are  now. 

PRINCE 

Anne,  Anne,  for  God's  sake — I  swear  to 
you  I  can  explain  everything. 

QUEEN 

Try  not  to  let  your  fear  of  personal  conse 
quences  intercept  the  pity  you  should  feel  for 
me. 

PRINCE 

Anne,  I  love  you,  I  love  you. 

QUEEN 

Why,  why  is  it  that  people  cannot  watch 
anything  die  in  silence?  I  suppose  after  all 
you  are  not  sufficiently  ruthless  to  carry 
off  your  own  selfishness  with  any  sort  of 
dignity. 

PRINCE  [sulkily] 

You  do  not  believe  me.     You  credit  the 
1 60 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

report  of  a  woman  who  has  every  reason  to 
hate  me. 

QUEEN 

No,  I  credit  intuition,  instinct  that  is  al 
ways  stinging  past  what  one  wants  to  think 
and  flinging  some  dismantled  idol  across  one's 
feet.  Somehow,  from  looking  down  at  a  lie 
one  can  never  look  up  to  that  particular 
thing  again. 

PRINCE 

It  was  the  lie  you  minded  more  than  what 
I  did. 

QUEEN 

I  think  a  truth,  no  matter  of  what  kind, 
would  have  given  me  some  point  of  exhilara 
tion  upon  which  to  try  you  out. 

PRINCE 
Oh,  Anne,  I  do  not  understand  you. 

QUEEN 

It  is  as  well  we  found  out.    How  jocosely 

casual  we  are  about  our  spirits.    We  tie  them 

into  some  bondage  of  eternity  for  the  security 

of  a  night's  lodging,  and  then  wonder  that 

11  161 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

life  grows  sour  upon  our  palate,  [she  smiles 
over  at  CHARLES'S  bewilderment]  Which 
means,  in  the  literal  terms  of  those  who  credit 
reincarnation,  that  if  we  married,  those 
things  you  would  have  to  do  to  keep  your 
heart  up  would  cause  your  next  showing  to 
degenerate  into  a  slight  motion  of  slime  at 
the  base  of  mountains.  Think  of  the  distance 
lost,  Charles,  for  such  a  little  mincing  forward 
step.  Come,  the  morning  wanes.  Fortu 
nately  there  are  things  to  do,  no  matter  what 
cannot  be  done.  I  shall  return  you  half  of 
your  fortune,  which,  you  will  remember,  is 
wholly  confiscate  to  the  Crown,  but  upon  the 
condition  that  you  pass  the  fleeting  future 
from  well  under  my  nose.  I  could  not  bear 
to  be  incessantly  reading  my  past,  which  is 
printed  all  over  you  in  large  letters.  Really, 
Charles,  you  are  a  shifting  mass  of  monu 
ments  to  the  hope  of  a  ridiculous  person. 

PRINCE 

You  have  broken  my  heart.     I  may  as 
well  go,  I  suppose. 

QUEEN 

Thank  God,  I  have  a  literal  mind,  for  what 
you  have  said,  as  you  have  said  it,  literally 
162 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

means,  "I  see  you  have  found  me  out,  so  I 
suppose  there  is  no  use  wasting  any  more 
time  around  here." 

PRINCE 

You  are  impossible.  You  think  too 
quickly.  . 

QUEEN  [smiling  broadly] 

Charles,  Charles,  go  now,  now,  while  I  am 
smiling  at  you.  It  will  be  nice  to  remember 
our  saying  good-bye  and  smiling. 

[She  comes  to  him,  takes  his  hand,  looks 
up  at  him,  but  he  will  not  let  his  face  be 
natural.  She  smooths  his  face,  apparently 
looking  for  some  effect  of  Nature.  Finally 
his  features  do  relax  into  a  rather  sheepish, 
furtive  smile.] 

Ah,  now,  I  see  you  do  not  want  to  talk 
about  it  any  more,  and  you  do  want  to  get 
right  away.  There,  go. 

[She  pushes  him  toward  the  door,  and 
out  through  it,  and  he  is  heard  remonstrat 
ing  with  her  down  the  hallway.  In  a  few 
seconds  she  re-enters  with  his  boutonniere 
in  her  hand.  She  looks  rather  strangely 
about  her,  and  presses  his  flower  to  her 
mouth.] 

163 


CLAIR  DE  LUNE 

QUEEN 

My  child,  my  love,  it  had  to  be  good-bye 
this  time. 

[Far  in  the  distance  the  air  of  "Clair  de 
Lune"  is  being  played  upon  myriad 
guitars  and  flutes.] 


CURTAIN 


164 


TNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY    r.OS  ANGELES 


I- 


UC  SOUTHERN  REGIONA   LIBRARY  FAC  LITY 


A  A      000260674    7 


PaulEJd 


